SPOTTED GAR Lepisosteus oculatus DIETS IN THE UPPER BARATARIA

ESTUARY

A Thesis

Submitted to the Graduate Faculty

of Nicholls State University

in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Science in Marine and Environmental Biology

By

Taren Ashley Manley

B.A., Hiram College, 2008

Fall 2012

i

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the thesis entitled “Spotted gar Lepisosteus oculatus diets in

the upper Barataria Estuary” submitted for the award of Master of Science to Nicholls

State University is a record of authentic, original research conducted by Miss Taren

Ashley Manley under our supervision and guidance and that no part of this thesis has

been submitted for the award of any other degree, diploma, fellowship, or other similar

titles.

APPROVED: SIGNATURE: DATE:

Allyse Ferrara, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of

Biological Sciences __________________________ _______________

Committee Chair

Quenton Fontenot, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of

Biological Sciences __________________________ _______________

Committee Member

Gary LaFleur, Jr., Ph.D.

Associate Professor of

Biological Sciences __________________________ _______________

Committee Member

Aaron Pierce, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of

Biological Sciences __________________________ _______________

Committee Member

ii

ABSTRACT

The upper Barataria Estuary (UBE) no longer receives an annual flood pulse due

to hydrologic modifications that have separated the estuary from the Mississippi River.

Separation of the UBE from the Mississippi River has reduced the lateral exchange

between the interior bayous and floodplain. Thus, food availability for opportunistic

feeders such as spotted gar Lepisosteus oculatus may be altered in the UBE as compared

to a functional large river floodplain. The purpose of this study was to quantify the

seasonal diets of spotted gar and to estimate the seasonal relative abundance of crayfish

in the UBE. Twenty spotted gar were collected monthly in spring (March-May), summer

(June-August), fall (September-November), and winter (December-February) 2011-2012

using 35 mm bar mesh gill nets that were deployed parallel to the bank and checked at

one hour intervals. For each spotted gar, total length (mm), standard length (mm), pre-

pelvic girth (anterior to the pelvic fin; mm), and weight (g) were measured. Stomach

contents of each spotted gar were identified to the lowest possible taxon, and were

categorized as fish, crayfish, shrimp, amphibian, reptile, insect, detritus, unidentifiable, or

empty. Overall mean percent empty stomachs was 45.5 percent and differed among

seasons. Based on multivariate analysis of variance spotted gar diets differed among

spring, summer, fall, and winter. Fish were more abundant in the diets in spring and

summer than in the fall and winter. Insects were more abundant in fall diets than in the

summer, spring, and winter diets. The crayfish population was sampled at vegetated sites

either on the floodplain or where the floodplain merged with Bayou Chevreuil using Gee

minnow traps. Weekly crayfish catch per unit effort was calculated as the number of

crayfish collected per 15 Gee minnow traps baited with commercially available bait and

iii

deployed for 24 hours. All organisms were identified to species and grouped into eight

categories: insect, shrimp, crayfish, fish, leeches, amphibian, reptile, and spider. Each

crayfish was sexed, identified to species, weighed to the nearest gram; carapace length

was measured (mm), and total length was measured from rostrum to telson (mm). Based

on analysis of variance fish were more abundantly collected during the spring than in the

fall and winter, and insects were more abundant in the summer than in the winter. There

were more crayfish collected in the spring than in the winter. The abundance of crayfish

in the diet was similar for all four seasons. In other studies, crayfish were a major

component of spotted gar diets, although in this study fish and insects dominated the

spotted gar diet in the UBE. The lack of a predictable flood pulse may limit spotted gar

access to floodplain prey items in the UBE.

iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First, I would like to thank my advisor Dr. Allyse Ferrara, for all her help and

guidance she has given me during my time at Nicholls. I would like to give my sincerest

gratitude to the rest of my thesis committee: Dr. Quenton Fontenot, Dr. Gary LaFleur,

and Dr. Aaron Pierce for their help on this project. I would like to thank Nicholls State

University for the use of their vehicles, laboratory, and equipment.

Additionally I would like to thank my fellow graduate students at Nicholls State

University: Kent Bollfrass, Justin Duke, Daniel Davies, Bo Boudreaux, and Amanda

Playter for their help in either the lab and/or on the bayou. I would like to give a special

thanks to my partner in crime Emily Rombach, without her help the many hours on the

bayou and in the lab would not have been nearly as entertaining or productive, as well as

for helping me name all 108 of the crayfish caught during this study.

I would like to thank my parents and family for all of their love and support

throughout my life and particularly during this project. Lastly, I would like to give a

special thanks to my twin Rachelle Manley and my best friend Elizabeth Saunders, for

their love, support, and humor that distracted me when I was feeling overwhelmed and

homesick.

v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CERTIFICATE …………..…………………………………..……………........................i

ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………………………...ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………...…………………………iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………………………………v

LIST OF FIGURES …………………………………………………...………………....vi

LIST OF TABLES …..………………………………………………………..................vii

INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………..........1

METHODS ..……………………………..…………………………………...................14

RESULTS ……………………………………………………………………………….18

DISCUSSION .…………………………………………………………………………..48

RECOMMENDATIONS ……………….……………………………………………….53

LITERATURE CITED ………………………………………………………………….57

APPENDIX I ………………..…..…………………………………………....................61

APPENDIX II ...…………………………………………………………………………68

APPENDIX III .................................................................................................................78

APPENDIX IV ...…………………………………….………………………………….81

APPENDIX V ...…………………………………….…………………………………..85

APPENDIX VI ..…………………………………….…………………………………..87

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ……………………….…………………………………..89

CURRICULUM VITAE .…………………………….…………………………………90

vi

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Location of Barataria Estuary in southern Louisiana. Black and grey

shaded area indicates the Barataria Estuary …………………...………....3

Figure 2. Boundaries, major waterways, and some of the major highways (dashed

lines) of the upper Barataria Estuary .…………...………………………..4

Figure 3. Spotted gar collected on 8 November 2011 from the Atchafalaya River

Basin, Louisiana ………………………………………………………….7

Figure 4. Three crayfish species found in the upper Barataria Estuary ..…………...9

Figure 5. Continuous solid line represents the water stage in the upper Barataria

Estuary on sample dates 14 March 2011 through 21 February 2012 .…..20

Figure 6. Percent of empty stomachs for spotted gar collected from 14 March 2011

through 21 February 2012 …………………………………………........27

Figure 7. The frequency of detritus, insect, reptile, amphibian, crayfish, shrimp, fish,

and unidentifiable items in the diets of spotted gar collected from 14

March 2011 to 21 February 2012 in the UBE ………………….……….28

Figure 8. Mean (±SE) fish per stomach of the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE ………………………………………………...…....29

Figure 9. Mean (±SE) insect per stomach of the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE …………………………………………………...…30

Figure 10. Mean (±SE) shrimp per stomach of the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE ...……………………………………………….…...31

Figure 11. Mean (±SE) crayfish per stomach of the spring, summer, fall, and

winter seasons in the UBE ……………...……..…………………..…….33

Figure 12. Mean (±SE) amphibians per stomach for the spring, summer, fall, and

winter seasons in the UBE ………………………...………..…..……….34

Figure 13. Mean (±SE) reptiles per stomach for the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons …………………………………….…..……………..…...…….35

Figure 14. Mean (±SE) detritus per stomach for the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE …………………………………………..…...……..36

Figure 15. Mean (±SE) unidentifiable items per stomach for the spring, summer, fall,

and winter seasons in the UBE ………………………………………….37

vii

Figure 16. CPUE of crayfish caught from the upper Barataria Estuary from 8 March

2011 to 14 February 2012 ………………………………..…….……..…38

Figure 17. Mean (±SE) fish per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE ……………………………………..……….....……40

Figure 18. Mean (±SE) shrimp per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and

winter seasons in the UBE .…………………………..………….………41

Figure 19. Mean (±SE) crayfish per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and

winter seasons in the UBE ..………………………..……………………42

Figure 20. Mean (±SE) insect per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and

winter seasons in the UBE ..……………………..………………………43

Figure 21. Mean (±SE) reptile per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and

winter seasons in the UBE ..…………………..………………………....44

Figure 22. Mean (±SE) amphibian per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and

winter seasons in the UBE .…………………..………………………….45

Figure 23. Mean (±SE) leech per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and

winter seasons in the UBE .………………..………………………….....46

Figure 24. Mean (±SE) spider per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and

winter seasons in the UBE ………………..………….……………….....47

viii

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Mean (±SE) and range (in parentheses), temperature (˚C), dissolved

oxygen (mg/L), specific conductance (uS), and Secchi depth (cm) for each

season in the upper Barataria Estuary, from 14 March 2011 to 21 February

2012. Superscript indicates Tukey groupings by season for each variable.

NM indicates if a variable was not measured ……………......................19

Table 2. Total number of each species collected in the upper Barataria Estuary

using gill nets from 14 March 2012 to 21 February 2012 ………….......21

Table 3 Total number and mean (±SE) and range (in parentheses) total length

(TL), standard length (SL), pre-pelvic girth (PPG), and weight (WT) of

male (N = 143) and female (N = 119) spotted gar collected from 14 March

2011 to 21 February 2012 ………………………………………………22

Table 4. Total number crayfish by species, mean (±SE) and range (in parentheses)

of total length (rostrum to telson; mm), carapace length (rostrum to the

end of carapace; mm), and weight (WT; g) of male and female crayfish

collected from 14 March 2011 to 21 February 2012 ..…………………..24

Table 5. Species and number collected in the upper Barataria Estuary using

minnow traps from 14 March 2012 to 21 February 2012 …………........25

Table 6. Diet items of spotted gar identified to the lowest possible taxon collected

from 14 March 2011 to 21 February 2012 in the UBE ..……….……….26

1

INTRODUCTION

The flood pulse of large river ecosystems is the lateral exchange between the

floodplain and main river channel, which directly impacts biota on the floodplain and in

the river channel (Junk et al. 1989). The duration, timing, and depth of seasonal

floodplain inundation of large river ecosystems affects the structure and composition of

riverine habitat (Bahr and Hebrand 1976; Fredrickson and Heitmeyer 1988; Poff and

Allen 1995; Poff et al. 1997; Poff 2002), which plays an integral part in the life history of

many fishes’ strategies (Poff and Allen 1995), such as gizzard shad Dorosoma

cepedianum (Zeug et al. 2009), largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides (Raibley et al.

1997), and redear sunfish Lepomis microlophus (Dutterer et al. 2012). Many organisms

use the inundated floodplain for essential spawning and feeding grounds (Fredrickson

and Heitmeyer 1988; Poff and Allen 1995; Poff et al. 1997; Poff 2002; Zeug and

Winemiller 2008; Zeug et al. 2009).

The seasonal inundation is an important hydrologic factor that influences

diversity, water quality, and production of large river floodplain systems (Bahr and

Hebrand 1976; Junk et al. 1989; Poff and Allen 1995; Poff et al. 1997; Tockner et al.

2000; Poff 2002). The use of the floodplain by organisms and the inundation of the

floodplain creates a lateral exchange of nutrients and organic matter between the

floodplain and the main river channel (Junk et al. 1989; Bayley 1995; Poff et al. 1997;

Poff 2002). As the water level raises sediment and nutrients from upstream move and

settle onto the floodplain through distributaries and inter-distributaries. Organisms also

move onto the floodplain when the water level rises and use the decomposing vegetation

and organic matter found on the floodplain for spawning and feeding (Junk et al. 1989;

2

Bayley 1995; Estay 2008). Organisms have adapted to the predictability of floodplain

inundation, and any changes in the duration that the floodplain is inundated, when the

floodplain is inundated, and the water quality of the main river channel can lead to a

decrease the habitat availability and a reduction in primary and secondary production

(Bahr and Hebrand 1976; Junk et al. 1989; Bayley 1995; Estay 2008).

The upper Barataria Estuary (UBE) is part of the Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary

System (Figure 1), and consists of bottomland hardwood forests, cypress-tupelo swamps,

and freshwater marshes (Bahr and Hebrand 1976; BTNEP 1995; Braud et al. 2006).

There are also bayous, lakes, canals, and periodically inundated wetland areas throughout

the UBE. The main water bodies in my study area of the UBE are Bayou Chevreuil,

Bayou Citamon, Grand Bayou, Lake Boeuf, and St. James Canal, all of which drain into

Lac des Allemands (Figure 2). Lac des Allemands is the main access points for marine

organisms to move from the lower reaches of the Barataria Estuary to the upper reaches

(Bahr and Hebrard 1976; Sklar and Conner 1979; BTNEP 1995; Inoue et al. 2008; Smith

2008).

The UBE is a historical distributary system of the Mississippi River that was once

part of the western-bank floodplain, and received an annual flood pulse. Levees

constructed along the Mississippi River to allow human development on the floodplain

have altered the floodplain hydrology and separated the floodplain from the main stem

river (BTNEP 1995). These modifications compromise the natural hydrology of this

system (Fredrickson and Reid 1990; Poff et al. 1997). Currently, changes in water levels

of the UBE floodplain are primarily due to local precipitation, thus causing inundation of

the floodplain to be out of synchronization with the natural river stage. Other causes of

3

Figure 1. Location of Barataria Estuary in southern Louisiana. Black and grey shaded

area indicates the Barataria Estuary. Grey shading indicates the upper Barataria Estuary.

Black area indicates the lower Barataria Estuary. Bar = 100 km.

N

4

Figure 2. Boundaries, major waterways, and some of the major highways (dashed lines)

of the upper Barataria Estuary. Arrows indicate the three bayous where gar and crayfish

sampling occurred from 8 March 2011 to 21 February 2012. Bar = 7.7 km. (Modified

from Smith 2008.)

Mississippi River

Bayou Lafourche

LA Hwy 20

LA Hwy 1

LA Hwy 307

St. James

Canal

Bayou

Citamon

Grand

Bayou

Lac des

Allemands

Lake

Boeuf

Bayou Boeuf

Bayou

Chevreuil

N

5

inundation, though relatively rare, are wind patterns and tides (USACE 2004).

Local precipitation irregularly inundating the floodplain and anthropogenic

alterations to the environment cause changes in a riverine systems natural flow regime

(Poff et al. 1997; Poff 2002). These changes can cause variation on the timing and

duration of inudation, affecting the water quality, habitat availability, lateral exchange of

nutrients, and the overall ecological integrity of the riverine system (Bahr and Hebrand

1976; Fredrickson and Heitmeyer 1988; Poff et al. 1997; Poff 2002). Lateral exchange

between the bayou and floodplain occurs only when the floodplain is inundated. With

the unpredictable pulsing that occurs in the UBE the duration that an area is inundated

becomes irregular instead of seasonal. This irregularity may cause primary and

secondary production to decrease on the floodplain (Junk et al. 1989; Bayley 1995; Poff

2002). A decrease in production on the floodplain could eventually decrease food

availability for opportunistic feeding fish species such as spotted gar, Lepisosteus

oculatus (Suttkus 1963; Bayley 1995; Poff 2002). A study by Balcome et al. (2005)

states when the floodplain is not accessible and waters are retained within channels, diets

of most opportunistic fish will consist primarily of aquatic food items, such as other fish

and larval forms of insects and amphibians, and a decrease in the number of terrestrial

organisms, such as five-lined skink Eumeces fasciatus and green anole Anolis

carolinensis. Only during floodplain inundation due to local precipitation should

terrestrial organisms become a major food source in spotted gar diets in the UBE

(Balcome et al. 2005).

The spotted gar is one of seven extant species of gar in the family Lepisosteidae.

The family Lepisosteidae is an ancient family that has a fossil record dating back

6

approximately 180 million years (Rayner 1941; Wiley 1976). Members of

Lepisostdeidae have ganoid scales that act like armor and protect the fish from predators.

Gar have physostomous swim bladders, which allow them to breathe atmospheric

oxygen, and allows gar to survive in hypoxic water (Potter 1925, 1927; Eddy 1957;

McCormack 1967; Renfro and Hill 1970; Hill et al. 1972; De Roth 1973).

Spotted gar range from the southern Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico and from

central Texas to western Florida (Douglas 1974). Spotted gar are frequently found in

lakes, bayous, and backwater floodplains (Goodyear 1966; Douglas 1974; Snedden et al.

1999; Fontenot et al. 2001; Bonvillain 2006; Davis 2006; Page and Burr 2011), and

prefer areas with thick vegetation or cover, such as fallen trees (Goodyear 1966). In

floodplain type water ways during the spring months spotted gar move into inundated

floodplains for spawning and feeding, and prefer to stay along shorelines of lakes and

bayous during fall and winter months, during periods of low water levels (Snedden et al.

1999). Adult spotted gar are brown to olive in coloring on their dorsal and upper lateral

regions with lighter shades on their lower lateral and ventral regions (Ross 2001; Gilbert

and Williams 2002). All fins of the spotted gar have spots (Figure 3; Ross 2001).

Spotted gar are distinct from other gar species by having large spots on their heads (Ross

2001).

Spotted gar are ambush predators. Gar are more active at night, and during the

day spotted gar typically remain stationary for several hours at a time (Snedden et al.

1999). While hunting, spotted gar will remain motionless, allowing prey to approach and

7

Figure 3. Spotted gar collected on 8 November 2011 from the Atchafalaya River Basin,

Louisiana.

8

may single out one individual. When prey is within a couple of centimeters and to the

side of the gar, the gar will quickly move its head laterally and grab the prey; swallowing

prey head first (Redmond 1964). Gar diets primarily consist of other fish, but may

include crustaceans, such as crayfish and crabs, and insects (Suttkus 1963; Goodyear

1967). In the Atchafalaya River Basin Snedden et al. (1999) found that 50% of the food

items in spotted gar were crayfish, and crayfish were the principal prey item found in

spotted gar in Texas (Bonham 1940). The Atchafalaya River Basin is connected to the

Mississippi River and functions as a large river floodplain system even though hydrologic

modifications have been made to reduce flooding of human settlements. With such a

large portion of Atchafalaya River Basin spotted gar diets consisting of crayfish, it can be

assumed that spotted gar in other distributaries of the Mississippi River, such as those of

the UBE, could have a similar diet composition.

Thirty-nine species of crayfish are found in Louisiana. The red swamp crayfish

Procambarus clarkii, the shrimp crayfish Orconectes lancifer, and the Cajun dwarf

crayfish Cambarellus shufeldtii are the most commonly collected crayfish species in the

UBE (Figure 4). Adults of all North American crustaceans, with the exception of

Pacifastacus spp., have two morphological forms: a breeding stage (Form I) and non-

breeding stage (Form II; Payne 1978; Pennak 1989; Walls 2009). Juvenile male crayfish

will molt into a Form I adult at the beginning of the spawning season, when they will

copulate with female crayfish and molt into a Form II adult. Form II adults can no longer

mate and will molt several times throughout the rest of the year, remaining in their

current stage. Form II males will then molt into the Form I stage during mating season to

mate and, depending on the species of crayfish, afterward, die. Some species will go

9

Figure 4. Three crayfish species found in the upper Barataria Estuary. A: Procambarus

clarkii. Bar = 2 cm; B: Orconectes lancifer. Bar = 1.5 cm; C: Cambarellus shufeldtii. Bar

= 1 cm.

A

B C

10

through this molting cycle for several years (Payne 1978; Pennak 1989; Walls 2009).

Red swamp crayfish are the most common commercial crayfish species, one of

the most abundant crayfish in the world, and are the most widely dispersed crayfish

species. The red swamp crayfish naturally ranges from south central United States and

northern Mexico to the panhandle of Florida, but is now found as far north as Illinois and

Ohio and was introduced to the Pacific northwestern coast, the Atlantic eastern coast, and

Hawaii by humans. Additionally, red swamp crayfish have been introduced into twenty

countries and are found on every continent except Antarctica (Kilian et al. 2009; Walls

2009). P. clarkii have unique characteristics that facilitated its spread beyond the

historical range, such as the ability to withstand colder temperatures than what is found in

its natural range (Souty-Grosset et al. 2006). P. clarkii can be found in shallow muddy

waters such as ditches, ponds, overflow ponds of large streams, sloughs, swamps, bayous,

and muddy rivers, and are typically found in areas with vegetation or leaf matter (Walls

2009).

P. clarkii grow up to 12.5 cm in length (rostrum to telson), and are noted for their

vivid red coloring. Adult P. clarkii males have distinct black chelae and red tubercles

and can be found year round. Juvenile P. clarkii have a greenish blue tint on the

abdomen and carapace, and are most abundant during the late fall and early winter,

before molting into Form I adults by January. Females will remain in burrows, tunnels

dug when the water level recedes, until spring when the water table rises. Burrows are

found along stream beds and in dry backwaters and ponds. Females will leave the

burrows while the floodplain is inundated to molt and mate; returning to their burrows

with their eggs at the beginning of summer (Walls 2009). Though P. clarkii has the

11

ability to reproduce year round (Lindqvist and Huner 1999), they typically mate when the

floodplain is inundated.

Shrimp crayfish O. lancifer are found from eastern Texas to southeastern

Mississippi, and as far north as southern Illinois. O. lancifer is found throughout

Louisiana, but is more common in the southern, central, and eastern parishes (Walls

2009). O. lancifer can be found in mud or silt with variable amounts of vegetation, and is

most frequently found in bayous, slow-moving rivers, cypress swamps, and slow-moving

canals and streams (Walls 2009).

O. lancifer grow to roughly 7.5 cm in length and are either olive green or tan with

greenish-gray to brown blotches covering the carapace and abdomen. The most distinct

characteristic is the rostrum, which is deeply concave with the acumen making up half or

more of the total length of the rostrum (Figure 4; Walls 2009). Juvenile O. lancifer are

common from late spring to early summer before molting into adults. Adult male O.

lancifer are found year round, though Form I males are not often collected. Adult female

O. lancifer will burrow and carry their eggs throughout the winter (Black 1972; Walls

2009). Reproduction occurs from late August to November (Walls 2009).

Cajun dwarf crayfish C. shufeldtii are found from southeastern Texas to

southwestern Alabama and as far north as southeastern Missouri and southern Illinois.

This species is unevenly distributed throughout Louisiana, with populations appearing for

five to ten years at a time (Walls 2009). C. shufeldtii typically are found in shallow

muddy waters that contain vegetation or heavy layers of leaf litter (Walls 2009).

C. shufeldtii grow to 3.7 cm in length with two distinct color patterns: brownish

with two dark brown stripes running from the eyes to the telson or two rows of dark

12

brown spots running from the eyes to the telson (Figure 4). Both patterns are found in

both sexes. Both Form I males and females are common throughout the year.

Reproduction occurs twice a year, in winter and midsummer (Penn 1942; Black 1966;

Walls 2009).

Spotted gar diets primarily consist of crayfish in the Atchafalaya River Basin

(Snedden et al. 1999) and also in Texas (Bonham 1940), but with the lack of flood pulse

in the UBE, it is unknown if gar diets consist primarily of crayfish in the UBE. Diet

studies are typically used to understand the importance of predators on commercial

species, but have been used to study the ecological conditions which may influence

feeding (Goodyear 1967). I expected that examining gar diets would provide evidence of

whether the floodplain is accessible to aquatic organisms adapted to using a seasonal

flood pulse. If gar diets contain terrestrial and aquatic organisms that use the floodplain

for reproduction and feeding, such as crayfish, then there would be evidence that lateral

exchange between the floodplain and the main channel occurred. Examining water

quality and depth throughout the year helps provide evidence on the changes in prey

availability found on the floodplain and prey items found in spotted gar diets.

The goal of this study was to determine if spotted gar had access to the floodplain

by examination of the seasonal diets. It was expected that diets would differ seasonally,

and that crayfish and fish would be a major component of the spotted gar diet (Goodyear

1967, Snedden et al. 1999). The specific objectives of this project included the

following:

13

1.) Measure water level (m), dissolved oxygen (DO; mg/L), specific conductance

(µS), Secchi depth (cm), temperature (˚C), and salinity (ppt) of the upper

Barataria Estuary,

2.) Compare overall diet composition of spotted gar among spring, summer, fall,

and winter seasons in the upper Barataria Estuary,

3.) Compare abundance of each diet item categories of spotted gar among spring,

summer, fall, and winter seasons in the upper Barataria Estuary,

4.) Measure relative abundance of crayfish in the upper Barataria Estuary, and

compare abundance among spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons in the

upper Barataria Estuary, and

5.) Compare abundance of each prey item caught in minnow traps among spring,

summer, fall, and winter seasons in the upper Barataria Estuary.

14

METHODS

Field Methods

Water Quality and Depth:

Temperature (˚C), dissolved oxygen (mg/L), and salinity (ppt) were measured

with a hand held YSI 85 meter (Yellow Springs Instruments, Yellow Springs, OH) and

Secchi depth (cm) was measured. Relative water level (m) was measured with a staff

gauge at the intersection of Bayou Citamon, Bayou Chevreuil, and a man-made canel that

connects Grand Bayou and Bayou Chevreuil (Smith 2006). Temperature, dissolved

oxygen, and salinity were recorded for each sample date, except on 30 October 2011, due

to YSI malfunction. Relative water level was measured every sample date except for 8

March 2011, 8 August 2011, and 10 August 2011. Secchi depth was recorded from 24

July 2011 to 21 February 2012.

Spotted Gar Stomach Collection:

A minimum of twenty spotted gar were collected each month from March 2011 to

February 2012 from the upper Barataria Estuary using monofilament gill nets measuring

28.0 m long and 1.80 m deep, with bar mesh of 35.0 mm. Nets were deployed parallel to

the shoreline to allow for boat passage. Nets were set at peak feeding times for spotted

gar approximately three hours before sunset or within the first four hours after sunrise to

maintain consistency among samples (Redmond 1964; Snedden et al. 1999; Smith 2008).

Nets soaked until dark or for four hours. All nets were checked hourly to decrease

digestion of prey items. Each spotted gar was removed from gill nets, assigned a unique

T-bar tag identification number, and preserved on ice in the Bayousphere Research

15

Laboratory at Nicholls State University until processed within eight hours of capture

(Smith 2008; DiBenedetto 2009; Ianni 2011).

Crayfish Abundance:

From 14 March 2011 to 21 February 2012, fifteen Gee minnow traps were

deployed for 24 hours, four times a month. Traps were deployed near heavy vegetation

or leaf matter (Walls 2009) in areas where spotted gar could access the floodplain or

along the main channel when water level was low. Each trap was deployed at a different

site. Gee traps were conical and measured 22.9 cm by 44.5 cm with a mesh size of 0.64

cm. The double entrance of each trap was increased to 5.08 cm to allow a wide size

range of crayfish to enter the trap (Chris Bonvillain, LSU, personal communication).

Each trap was baited with no more than 150 g of Purina Southern Pride Crayfish Bait

(Chris Bonvillain, LSU, personal communication).

All organisms in each trap were identified to species while in the field and were

grouped into eight categories: insect, shrimp, crayfish, fish, leeches, amphibian, reptile,

and spider. If an organism could not be identified it was brought back to the

Bayousphere Research Laboratory to be identified within 24 hours of capture. All

crayfish were identified to species in the Bayousphere Research Laboratory within eight

hours of capture.

Laboratory Methods:

Total length (TL; mm), standard length (SL; mm), and pre-pelvic girth (mm) were

measured for each spotted gar using a flexible quilters tape. Spotted gar were weighed

16

(WT) using a top loading scale to the nearest gram. Each crayfish was sexed, measured

(mm) from rostrum to telson and from rostrum to the end of its carapace, and weighed to

the nearest gram.

Diet Analyses:

Spotted gar were dissected from vent to isthmus using tin snips to retrieve whole

stomachs. Whole stomachs were removed and placed into individual cotton bags

(Hubco, Hutchinson, KS) and preserved in labeled jars containing 75% ethanol (Keevin

et al. 2007). Stomach contents were examined using an illuminated magnification lamp

and a dissecting microscope. Contents were identified to the lowest possible taxon and

were grouped into eight categories: unknown, detritus, fish, amphibian, reptile, shrimp,

crayfish, and insect (Toole 1971; DiBenedetto 2009). Contents were photographed

within eight hours of preservation. The detritus category consisted of non-prey items that

spotted gar could not digest such as mud, silt, and vegetation. Items were designated as

unknown when they could not be identified according to the methods of Ianni (2011).

Statistical Analyses:

Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare mean water quality among

spring (March -May), summer (June-August), fall (September-November), and winter

(December-February; SAS 2003). A Chi-squared test was used to determine if percent

empty stomachs differed among the four seasons (SAS 2003). Multivariate analysis of

variance (Wilk’s Lambda) was used to determine if seasonal diets differed (SAS 2003).

ANOVA, followed by Tukey’s post hoc analysis when necessary, was used to compare

17

the abundance of each diet category (fish, crayfish, shrimp, amphibian, reptile, insect,

detritus, empty, and unidentifiable) among the four seasons (SAS 2003; Keevin et al.

2007; DiBenedetto 2009; Ianni 2011).

Catch per unit effort (CPUE) was determined for each sampling day by dividing

the number of crayfish captured by the number traps deployed.

Daily CPUE = # of crayfish

# of traps

The mean CPUE of all traps was calculated as the total number crayfish captured

divided by the number of traps deployed times the total number of days the traps were

deployed.

Mean CPUE = Total # of crayfish

Total # of traps

ANOVA, followed by Tukey’s post hoc analysis when necessary, was used to compare

the abundance of each trap category (insect, shrimp, crayfish, fish, leeches, amphibian,

reptile, and spider) among the four seasons (SAS 2003). All statistical analysis was

based on α = 0.05.

18

RESULTS

Field Data

Mean water temperature varied among seasons, with water temperatures highest

during the summer and lowest during the winter (Table 1). DO and specific conductance

varied among the seasons. DO was the higher in the winter than in the summer and fall

with DO being less than 2.0 mg/L during the summer and fall (Table 1). Specific

conductance was higher in the summer than in the spring, fall, and winter (Table 1).

Secchi depth was not measured from 13 March 2011 through 23 July 2011, and there was

no difference among the seasons. Water level fluctuated throughout the study, and with

the exception of March and September, water level rarely reached levels high enough to

inundate the surrounding floodplain during the study (Figure 5). The mean water level

was 0.55 m.

A total of 262 spotted gar were collected from 14 March 2011 to 21 February

2012, in the UBE. More than 20 gar were collected each month, with the exception of

December (N = 8) and January (N = 13) low water temperatures. In addition to spotted

gar 14 fish species were collected using gill nets (Table 2). In addition to the fish

collected, I also collected seven red eared/yellow eared sliders Trachemys scripta

elegans, six common snapping turtles Chelydra serpentina, two blue crab Callinectes

sapidus, and one diamondback water snake Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer. A total of 143

male (TL = 514 ± 2.43 mm; WT = 510 ± 7.43 g) and 119 female (TL = 566 ± 4.64 mm;

WT = 711 ± 23.2 g) spotted gar were collected (Table 3). The mean total length of males

was smaller than the mean total length of females. Total length ranged from 380 mm to

601 mm for males and 461 mm to 755 for females (Table 3).

19

Table 1. Mean (±SE) and range (in parentheses), temperature (˚C), dissolved oxygen

(mg/L), specific conductance (uS), and Secchi depth (cm) for each season in the

upper Barataria Estuary, from 14 March 2011 to 21 February 2012. Superscript

indicates Tukey groupings by season for each variable. NM indicates if a variable

was not measured.

Seasons

Parameter Spring Summer Fall Winter

Temperature 23.8 ± 0.53B

(20.3 – 27.7)

28.5 ± 0.74A

(26.0–31.3)

19.5 ± 0.80C

(13.1 –25.8)

13.6 ± 0.58D

(9.20- 19.0)

Dissolved Oxygen 2.19 ± 0.31AB

(0.03–4.79 )

1.66 ± 0.25B

(0.24–4.50)

1.40 ± 0.19B

(0.16–3.56)

4.42 ± 1.38A

(1.10–29.5)

Specific Conductance 221 ± 11.4B

(139–352 )

301 ± 30.2A

(122–465)

185 ± 8.19B

(126– 223)

212 ± 8.03B

(102–280)

Secchi Depth NM 39.3 ± 5.33

(13.0-75.6)

47.4 ± 1.98

(29.0-74.6)

49.8 ± 3.23

(11.2-78.2)

20

Figure 5. Continuous solid line represents the water stage in the upper Barataria Estuary

on sample dates 14 March 2011 through 21 February 2012. The dashed line represents

water level necessary to inundate surrounding floodplain.

21

Table 2. Total number of each species collected in the upper Barataria Estuary using gill

nets from 14 March 2012 to 21 February 2012.

Common name Scientific Name N

Spotted Gar Lepisosteus oculatus 262

Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides 164

Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum 89

Redear Sunfish Lepomis microlophus 59

Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus 39

Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus 33

Yellow Bass Morone mississippiensis 25

Warmouth Chaenobryttus gulosus 22

Yellow Bullhead Catfish Ameiurus natalis 21

Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus 19

Striped Mullet Mugil cephalus 18

Bowfin Amia calva 11

White Crappie Pomoxis annularis 5

Common Carp Cyprinus carpio 3

Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus 2

Total 789*

* indicates species other than fish added to total (see pg. 18)

22

Table 3. Total number and mean (±SE) and range (in parentheses) total

length (TL), standard length (SL), pre-pelvic girth (PPG), and weight (WT)

of male (N = 143) and female (N = 119) spotted gar collected from 14

March 2011 to 21 February 2012.

Spotted Gar N TL (mm) SL (mm) PPG (mm) WT (g)

Male 143 515 ± 2.43 442 ± 2.21 161 ± 2.56 510 ± 7.43

(380-601) (323-545) (106-185) (167-760)

Female 119 566 ± 4.64 490 ± 4.06 180 ± 1.85 711 ± 23.2

(461-755) (404-659) (143-260) (310-1940)

23

One hundred and eight crayfish were collected from 7 March 2011 to 13 February 2012

using minnow traps. Red swamp crayfish (N = 58) and shrimp crayfish (N = 37) were

the most abundant species. Thirteen Cajun dwarf crayfish were collected (Table 4).

Twenty-eight additional species were collected using Gee minnow traps (Table 5).

Diet Data

Stomach contents were analyzed for all 262 spotted gar collected. Diets consisted

of various species of fish, shrimp, crayfish, insects, reptiles, amphibians, unknown items,

and detritus (Table 6). Stomachs containing at least one diet item were considered not

empty. The most common diet categories were fish (N = 137) and insects (N = 42). One

hundred and twelve spotted gar stomachs did not contain food items and the overall mean

percent of empty stomachs was 45.5%. The percent of empty stomachs varied by season,

and based on Chi square analyses, there was a difference in the percent of empty

stomachs among the seasons (Χ2

(df = 3, N = 4) = 4.0752, P = 0.0009; Figure 6). The largest

number of empty stomachs were found during the fall (N = 34) and the lowest number of

empty stomach were found in the spring (N = 23).

Based on multivariate analysis of variance, diet items were not similar among the

seasons (Wilk’s lamba = 0.4496; F= 5.34; P < 0.0001; Figure 7). During the spring,

spotted gar diets primarily consisted of more fish, than in the summer, fall, and winter (P

< 0.0001; Figure 8). Insects were the most abundant items found in gar diets in the fall,

but not in the spring, summer, and winter (P < 0.0001; Figure 9). There was no

difference in the amount of shrimp consumed among the seasons (P = 0.1620; Figure 10).

The amount of crayfish consumed did not differ among the seasons (P = 0.9437;

24

Table 4. Total number crayfish by species, mean (±SE) and range (in parentheses) of total

length (rostrum to telson; mm), carapace length (rostrum to the end of carapace; mm),

and weight (WT; g) of male and female crayfish collected from 14 March 2011 to 21

February 2012.

Species Sex N Total Length

(mm)

Carapace Length

(mm)

WT (g)

Red swamp crayfish

M 33 70.0 ± 0.27

(40.0 – 90.0)

32.6 ± 0.15

(20.0 – 43.0)

8.32 ± 0.90

(1.00 – 19.0)

Red swamp crayfish

F 26 77.0 ± 0.41

(25.0 – 105)

35.5 ± 0.22

(12.0 – 51.0)

10.3 ± 1.12

(1.50 – 19.5)

Shrimp crayfish

M 16 61.1 ± 0.21

(40.0 – 71.0)

30.9 ± 0.07

(27.0 – 38.0)

4.31 ± 0.46

(1.00 – 7.50)

Shrimp crayfish

F 20 70.0 ± 0.46

(40.0 – 111)

33.4 ± 0.24

(20.0 – 49.0)

6.55 ± 1.01

(1.00 – 17.0)

Cajun dwarf crayfish

M 5 18.8 ± 0.10

(15.0 – 20.0)

8.50 ± 0.09

(7.00 – 10.0)

0.17 ± 0.03

(0.08 – 0.24)

Cajun dwarf crayfish

F 7 22.6 ± 0.20

(15.0 – 30.0)

1.10 ± 0.10

(1.50 – 0.80)

0.32 ± 0.07

(0.11 – 0.50)

25

Table 5. Species and number collected in the upper Barataria Estuary using minnow

traps from 14 March 2012 to 21 February 2012.

Common Name Scientific Name N

Western Mosquitofish Gambusia affinis 537

Grass Shrimp Palaemonetes vulgaris 506

Diving Beetle Cybister fimbriolatus 89

Redear Sunfish Lepomis microlophus 81

Warmouth Chaenobryttus gulosus 75

Golden Topminnow Fundulus chrysotus 60

Red Swamp Crayfish Procambarus clarkia 58

Sailfin Molly Poecilia latipinna 47

Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus 45

Banded Pygmy Sunfish Elassoma zonatum 40

Shrimp Crayfish Orconectes lancifer 37

Water Scorpion Ranatra brevicollis 29

Giant Water Bug Belostoma flumineum 27

Dragon Fly * Anisoptera 25

Leech Hirudinea spp. 24

Red Eared/Yellow Eared Slider Trachemys scripta 21

Eastern Newt Notophthalmus viridescens 14

Cajun Dwarf Crayfish Cambarellus shufeldtii 13

Bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus 10

Damsel Fly * Zygoptera 9

Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus 5

Spotted Gar Lepisosteus oculatus 5

Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentine 4

Three-toed Amphiuma Amphiuma tridactylum 4

Yellow Bullhead Catfish Ameiurus natalis 4

Eastern Toe-biter Lethocerus griseus 3

Bronze/Green Frog Rana clamitans 1

Bronze/Green Frog* Rana clamitans 1

Brown Shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus 1

Diamondback Water Snake Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer 1

Six-spotted Fishing Spider Dolomedes triton 1

Total 1,777

* indicates larval form.

26

Table 6. Diet items of spotted gar identified to the lowest possible taxon

collected from 14 March 2011 to 21 February 2012 in the UBE.

Seasons

Diet Item Spring Summer Fall Winter

Fish Moronidae

Morone mississippiensis

Poeciliidae

Gambusia affinis

Unidentifiable Fish

0

47

52

1

23

7

0

4

0

0

3

0

Insect Anisoptera

Coleoptera

Cybister fimbriolatus

Ephemeroptera

Hemiptera

Belostoma flumineum

Lethocerus griseus

Lethocerus americanus

Corduliidae

Dytiscidae

Unidentifiable Insects

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

0

2

1

2

1

0

0

0

1

0

2

0

15

1

1

2

3

1

2

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

2

Shrimp Palaemonidae

Palaemonetes vugaris

20

8

6

2

Crayfish Cambaridae

Procambarus spp.

4

6

4

2

Amphibian Ranidae

Lithobates spp.

1

3

10

0

Reptile Scincidae

Eumeces fasciatus

Colubridae

Nerodia spp.

Polychrotidae

Anolis carolinensis

Unidentifiable Snake

0

0

0

0

1

1

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

Detritus

9

2

5

0

Unidentifiable 17 1 3 2

Empty Stomachs 23 27 34 28

Total Stomach Items 158 51 58 16

27

Figure 6. Percent of empty stomachs for spotted gar collected from 14 March 2011

through 21 February 2012. Numbers on top of bars indicates sample size. The dashed

line indicates the mean percent empty stomachs (45.5%). Numbers above columns

indicate the number of fish collected each season. * indicates difference between spring

and winter seasons.

P = 0.0009

28

Figure 7. The frequency of detritus, insect, reptile, amphibian, crayfish, shrimp, fish, and

unidentifiable items in the diets of spotted gar collected from 14 March 2011 to 21

February 2012 in the UBE. Numbers above the columns indicate the number of food

items found in gar diets each season.

51 158 58 16

29

Figure 8. Mean (±SE) fish per stomach for the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons in

the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings.

30

Figure 9. Mean (±SE) insect per stomach of the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons

in the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings.

31

Figure 10. Mean (±SE) shrimp per stomach of the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE. There was no difference in the amount of shrimp consumed among

the seasons.

32

Figure 11). Amphibians were more abundant in spotted gar diets in the fall, than in the

spring and winter (P = 0.0013; Figure 12). No amphibians were found in spotted gar

diets in the winter. There was no difference in reptile consumption among the summer,

fall, and winter (P =0.5269; Figure 13). No reptiles were found in spotted gar diets

during the spring. There was no difference in the amount of detritus found in gar diets (P

= 0.0432; Figure 14). There was no difference in the amount of detrital material

consumed in the spring, summer, and fall seasons. No detritus was found in spotted gar

stomachs in the winter. There were more unidentifiable items found in gar diets in the

spring than in the summer, fall, and winter (P < 0.0001; Figure 15).

Crayfish Data and CPUE

A total of 108 crayfish were captured in the UBE with the mean CPUE of 0.15

crayfish/trap. Crayfish abundance increased in the late winter and early spring, peaking

in late spring, declined rapidly in the summer, and remained low during fall and early

winter (Figure 16). Crayfish CPUE peaked on 17 May 2012 (N = 16; CPUE = 1.07;

Appendix V). A total of 26 female (TL = 77.0 ± 0.41 mm; WT = 10.3 ± 1.12 g) and 33

male (TL = 70.0 ± 0.27 mm; WT = 8.32 ± 0.90 g) red swamp crayfish were collected

(Table 4). A total of 20 female (TL = 70.0 ± 0.46 mm; WT = 6.55 ± 1.01 g) and 16 male

(TL = 61.1 ± 0.21 mm; WT = 4.31 ± 0.46 g) shrimp crayfish were collected (Table 4). A

total of 7 female (TL = 22.6 ± 0.20 mm; WT = 0.32 ± 0.07 g) and 5 male (TL = 18.8 ±

0.10 mm; WT = 0.17 ± 0.03 g) Cajun dwarf crayfish were collected (Table 4).

33

Figure 11. Mean (±SE) crayfish per stomach of the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE. There was no difference in the amount of crayfish consumed among

the seasons.

34

Figure 12. Mean (±SE) amphibians per stomach for the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings. No amphibians were

found in the diets in the winter.

35

Figure 13. Mean (±SE) reptiles per stomach of the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE. There was no difference in the amount of reptiles found in spotted

gar diets in the summer, fall, and winter seasons. No reptiles were found in the diets in

the spring.

36

Figure 14. Mean (±SE) detrital items per stomach for the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings.

37

Figure 15. Mean (±SE) unidentifiable items per stomach for the spring, summer, fall, and

winter seasons in the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings.

38

Figure 16. CPUE (±SE) of crayfish caught from the upper Barataria Estuary from 8

March 2011 to 14 February 2012. CPUE was calculated by dividing the number of

crayfish caught per sample day divided by the number of traps.

39

Trap contents consisted of various species of fish, shrimp, crayfish, insects,

reptiles, amphibians, leeches, and spider (Appendix VI). There were more fish collected

in the traps in the spring than in the fall and winter (P = 0.0004; Figure 17). Shrimp were

more abundant in the spring than in the fall and summer (P = 0.0035; Figure 18). There

were more crayfish collected during the spring than in the winter (P = 0.0669; Figure 19).

There was a greater abundance of insects collected in the summer than in the winter (P =

0.0177; Figure 20). There was no difference in the amount of reptiles collected among

the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons (P = 0.2682; Figure 21). There was no

difference in the amount of amphibians collected among the spring, summer, fall, and

winter seasons (P = 0.0630; Figure 22). There was no difference in the amount of leeches

collected in the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons (P = 0.1787; Figure 23). There

was no differences in the amount of spiders collected in the spring, summer, fall, and

winter seasons (P = 0.4155; Figure 24).

40

Figure 17. Mean (±SE) fish per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings.

41

Figure 18. Mean (±SE) shrimp per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings.

42

Figure 19. Mean (±SE) crayfish per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings.

43

Figure 20. Mean (±SE) insect per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE. Letters above bars represent Tukey groupings.

44

Figure 21. Mean (±SE) reptile per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE. There was no difference in the amount of reptiles collected from the

UBE in the summer, fall, and winter seasons.

45

Figure 22. Mean (±SE) amphibian per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and

winter seasons in the UBE. There was no difference in the amount of amphibians

collected from the UBE in the summer, fall, and winter seasons.

46

Figure 23. Mean (±SE) leech per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE. There was no difference in the amount of leeches collected from the

UBE in the summer, fall, and winter seasons.

47

Figure 24. Mean (±SE) spider per minnow trap for the spring, summer, fall, and winter

seasons in the UBE. There was no difference in the amount of spiders collected from the

UBE in the summer, fall, and winter seasons. No spiders were collected in the spring,

fall, and winter.

48

DISCUSSION

Seasonal inundation of the floodplain plays an important role in life history

strategies of many fish species (Poff and Allen 1995), such as gizzard shad Dorosoma

cepedianum (Zeug et al. 2009), largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides (Raibley et al.

1997), and redear sunfish Lepomis microlophus (Dutterer et al. 2012) that live in large

rivers. Life cycles of many large river floodplain species evolved to take advantage of an

annual flood pulse, by using the spawning and feeding grounds created by floodplain

inundation (Fredrickson and Heitmeyer 1988; Poff and Allen 1995; Zeug and Winemiller

2008; Zeug et al. 2009). The UBE no longer receives a seasonal flood pulse, but since

being disconnected from the Mississippi River, inundation of the floodplain is due

primarily to local precipitation, and occasionally to wind patterns and tides. In this study

water level fluctuated irregularly, with the only recorded incidents of floodplain

inundation occurring on 14 March 2011 and 24 - 26 September 201l. This irregularity

indicates that the UBE does not follow a seasonal inundation pattern typical of large river

floodplain systems (Junk et al. 1989), and does not follow the high water rhythm of the

Mississippi (Bahr and Hebrand 1976).

In typical large river floodplain systems as the water level rises and the floodplain

is inundated terrestrial vegetation and organic matter decomposes (Bahr and Hebrand

1976; Junk et al. 1989; Bayley 1995; Poff et al. 1997; Poff 2002). The decomposing

vegetation and organic matter creates food for many aquatic organisms, such as crayfish

(Walls 2009), and releases nutrients into the water column. As the water level decreases

the nutrients become concentrated and stimulate primary production (Junk et al. 1989;

Bayley 1995; Estay 2008), which in turn stimulates secondary production (Junk et al.

49

1989; Bayley 1995). Decomposition rates increase during high water temperatures. An

increase in decomposition rate decreasing dissolved oxygen (DO) levels and produces an

increase in in the nutrients released in the water column, causing primary and then

secondary production to increase. As water temperature drops decomposition rates slow,

and DO levels increases. This study reflects this natural annual cycle even though the

water levels fluctuated irregularly and the overall DO was hypoxic for 55.3% of the

sample days (Table 1; Appendix IV). This change in water quality in a riverine system is

important for organisms that have adapted this annual process, and variation in water

quality may change important fish assemblages and habitat (Poff and Allen 1995; Poff et

al. 1997; Poff 2002).

In the UBE, spotted gar are abundant top-level predators. More than 60 gar were

collected per season for this study, with the exception of winter (N = 42) possibly due to

low water temperatures. There was considerable overlap in total length, standard length,

pre-pelvic girth, and weight between male and female spotted gar (Table 3). The mean

total length, standard length, pre-pelvic girth, and weight of female spotted gar was larger

than that of male spotted gar, which is typical for this species (Table 3; Love 2002; Smith

2008). The study found no evidence that the difference in size or weight between the

sexes had an effect on spotted gar diets because the same prey items were found in both

males and females; indicating that, regardless of sex, both genders were not limited in

their ability to catch prey.

The overall percent empty stomachs was 45.5%. The percent empty stomachs

found in this study was greater than a previous diet study by Goodyear (1967) in the

Biloxi Bay and the Mississippi sound, where 16.5% spotted gar stomachs were empty,

50

and in a study by Toole (1971) in eastern Texas, where the mean percent empty stomachs

was 34.0%. The difference in the percent of empty stomachs between this study and past

research could be due to the difference in habitat and food availability. Spotted gar are

opportunistic feeders, and their diets primarily consist of fish, but can include

crustaceans, such as crayfish and crabs, and insects (Suttkus 1963; Goodyear 1967; Toole

1971). In this study, based on multivariate analysis of variance, spotted gar diets differed

among seasons. The main component of spotted gar diets for the spring and summer

months was fish, while in the fall and winter the main diet component was aquatic

insects, which is consistent with what was found by Suttkus (1963), Goodyear (1967),

and Toole (1971).

During the spring and summer months the most abundant prey item collected in

the minnow traps was fish. This is due to the increase in water temperatures and

appropriate water conditions, such as depth and water quality, for many prey fish species

to use the surrounding habitat for spawning (Poff and Allen 1995), as stated above. Prey

fish species were not as abundant in the fall and in the winter. Though there were more

fish collected in the minnow traps during both the fall and winter months (Appendix VI)

gar diets consisted of insect during these seasons, even though insects were not as

abundant during these seasons. This was probably due to the decrease in DO (< 2 mg/L)

throughout the month of September from heavy rainfall. Most of the fish collected from

the minnow traps during September were dead, whereas the insects collected in the

minnow traps were alive. There were more crayfish collected in the minnow traps during

the spring, (mean CPUE = 0.31 crayfish/trap), than in the winter (mean CPUE = 0.07),

but the low overall population of crayfish (N = 108) collected supports why there was no

51

difference in the amount of crayfish consumed among the seasons, and why such a low

amount of crayfish were found in the diets throughout the year.

According to Balcome et al. (2005), during times when the floodplain is not

accessible and waters are retained within channels, diets of most opportunistic fishes will

consist primarily of aquatic organisms, and lack terrestrial organisms. Based on the low

amount of terrestrial organisms (N = 2) as well as the limited amount of crayfish (N = 16)

in spotted gar diets during times when the floodplain wasn’t accessible, spotted gar diets

consisted of aquatic organisms. Conversely, when the floodplain was accessible there

was only one known terrestrial organism, green anole Anolis carolinensis, and only two

of the sixteen crayfish were found in the spotted gar diets. Because there were only two

instances (March 2011 and September 2011) where the floodplain was inundated and the

low number of terrestrial organisms found in spotted gar diets, the spotted gar’s ability to

access the floodplain during this study was low. With floodplain inundation only

recorded twice during this study there was limited lateral exchange and a reduced use of

habitat occurring in the UBE. With unpredictable inundation, seasonal lateral exchange

between the bayou and floodplain no longer occurs and may cause primary and

secondary production to decrease on the floodplain (Junk et al. 1989; Bayley 1995; Poff

2002) in the UBE.

The Atchafalaya River Basin, though hydrologically modified, still experiences a

seasonal flood pulse due to its connection to the Mississippi River. Snedden et al. (1999)

found that in the Atchafalaya River Basin crayfish were the primary components of

spotted gar diets, comprising of 50 percent of the prey items. The Atchafalaya River and

the UBE are both historical distributaries of the Mississippi, but the Atchafalaya River

52

Basin experiences a seasonal flood pulse, unlike the UBE. With the UBE not receiving a

seasonal flood pulse, and is inundated primarily by local precipitation, it is unknown

what effects the lack of seasonal flood pulse has had on the spotted gar diet. This study

has shown that from March of 2011 through February of 2012, the diets of spotted gar in

the UBE consisted of fish and insects instead of crayfish, unlike the studies done by

Snedden et al. (1999) and Bonham (1940). When water levels are low, spotted gar would

be limited in accessing crayfish because of their inability to access the floodplain. This

was supported by the few crayfish consumed and the small number of crayfish collected

in this study.

Though there was variation among seasonal diets similar to what was described

by Snedden et al. (1999), spotted gar in the UBE minimally fed on crayfish. The lack of

seasonal pulsing may contribute to both the low consumption rate of crayfish, but also the

low population size of crayfish in the UBE. Hydrologic changes to the environment can

cause a disturbances in duration, timing, and depth of seasonal floodplain inundation of

large river ecosystems, which affects the structure and composition of riverine habitats

(Bahr and Hebrand 1976; Fredrickson and Heitmeyer 1988; Poff and Allen 1995; Poff et

al. 1997; Poff 2002), and affects the life history strategies of many fishes and

invertebrates (Poff and Allen 1995). Female red swamp crayfish come out of their

burrows to mate when the water table rises (Walls 2009). The rising of the water table

and inundation of the floodplain is an important environmental cue for this species. This

study showed that though there was a peak in crayfish abundance in the spring when the

floodplain was historically inundated, a relatively small crayfish population was found in

the UBE, with the peak in abundance of 16 crayfish caught on 17 May 2011. Irregularity

53

or variation in floodplain inundation causes changes in when flooding occurs and the

duration in which flooded habitat is available; causing a change in when and how long

habitat resources are accessible (Bahr and Hebrand 1976; Fredrickson and Heitmeyer

1988; Poff and Allen 1995; Poff et al. 1997; Poff 2002). My data suggests that there is a

relationship between the UBE floodplain being irregularly inundated and the small

population size of crayfish, which may have led to the lack of crayfish found spotted gar

diets and why so few crayfish were collected.

54

RECOMMENDATIONS

A study using radiotelemetry to monitor the movement of spotted gar would

provide important information on whether gar are able to access the floodplain. This

information would be useful in determining gar habitat use during periods of floodplain

inundation as well as their diel and seasonal movements in the UBE. This study coupled

with the continued monitoring of other top level predators’ diets, such as largemouth

bass, would also provide valuable information on the lateral exchange of nutrients in the

UBE.

I recommend that a population survey on the different species of crayfish found in

the UBE should be completed. There are several more species of crayfish, such as the

swamp dwarf crayfish Cambarellus puer, the digger crayfish Fallicambarus fodiens, and

the southern white river crayfish Procambarus zonangulus (Walls 2009), that should be

found on the floodplain of the UBE while it is inundated, but with the lack of floodplain

inundation it is uncertain if these species are still living in the area. The information that

the population survey would provide would garner a better understanding of how the

absence of a seasonal flood pulse could affect life history strategies of crayfish in this

area and terrestrial prey items of top level predators. Also, a comparative study should be

done on the differences of habitat between the Atchafalaya River Basin and the UBE,

particularly differences in the change in water level, duration of floodplain inundation,

and water quality and how those difference may affect the crayfish populations in those

areas.

I would also recommend the restoration of a seasonal flood pulse. Because this

estuary is impaired, I recommend hydrologically modifying the area to restore the

55

connection to the Mississippi River. This could be done at the headwaters of Bayou

Lafourche near Donaldsonville or by siphons lower in the system. This would allow the

UBE to act as a large river floodplain, like the Atchafalaya River Basin.

56

LITERATURE CITED

Bahr, L. M. and J. J. Hebrard. 1976. Barataria basin: biological characterization. Coastal

Zone Management Series, Sea Grant Publication NO. LSU-T-76-005, Baton

Rouge, Louisiana.

Balcome S.R, S. E. Bunn, F. J. Mckenzie-Smith and P. M. Davies. 2005. Variability of

fish diets between dry and flood periods in an arid zone floodplain river. Journal

of Fish Biology 67: 1552–1567.

(BTNEP) Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program. 1995. Status, trends, and

probable causes of change in living resources in the Barataria-Terrebonne

estuarine system. BTNEP #21, Thibodaux, Louisiana.

Bayley, P. B. 1995. Understanding large river-floodplain ecosystems: significant

economic advantages and increased biodiversity and stability would result from

restoration of impaired systems. BioScience 45: 153-158.

Bonham, K. 1940. Food of gars in Texas. Transaction of the American Fisheries Society

82: 13-33.

Black, J.B. 1966. Cyclic male reproductive activities in dwarf crawfishes Cambarellus

shufeldtii (Faxon) and Cambarellus puer Hobbs. Transactions of American

Fisheries Society 85: 214-32.

Braud, D.A., A.J. Lewis, and J. Sheehan. 2006. 2005 land use/land cover classification

of the Barataria Basin. Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. Baton

Rouge, Louisana.

De Roth, G. C. 1973. Effects of temperature and light on aerial breathing behavior of the

spotted gar, Lepisosteus oculatus. The Ohio Journal of Science 73: 34-41.

DeVries, D.R. and R.V. Frie. 1996. Determination of age and growth. Pages 483-512 in

B.R. Murphy and D.W. Willis, editors. Fisheries techniques, second edition.

American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland.

DiBenedetto, K. 2009. Life history characteristics of alligator gar Atractosteus spatula

in the Bayou Dularge area of South-central Louisiana. Master's thesis. Louisiana

State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Dutterer, A. C., C. Mesing, R. Cailteux, M. S. Allen, W. E. Pine, and P. A. Strickland.

2012. Fish recruitment is influenced by river flows and floodplain inundation at

Apalachicola River, Florida. River Research and Applications. Wiley Online

Library DOI: 10.1002/rra.2604 (October 2012).

57

Eddy, S. 1957. In: The freshwater fishes. WM. C. Brown Company, Dubuque, Iowa.

Pages: 10-24.

Estay, M. 2008. Assessment of water quality in the upper Barataria Estuary. Master’s

thesis. Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, Louisiana.

Fredrickson, L. H. and M. E. Heitmeyer. 1988. Waterfowl in winter: waterfowl use of

forested wetlands of the southern United States: an overview. University of

Minnesota Press, Minneapolis.

Fredrickson, L. H. and F. A. Reid. 1990. Impacts of hydrologic alteration on

management of freshwater wetlands. Management of Dynamic Ecosystems, The

Wildlife Society, West Lafayette, Indiana.

Gilbert, C. R., and J. D. Williams. 2002. In: National Audubon Society field guide to

fishes. Chanticleer Press, New York, New York.

Goodyear, C. P. 1966. Distribution of gars on the Mississippi coast. Journal of the

Mississippi Academy of Sciences 12:188-192.

Goodyear, C.P. 1967. Feeding habitats of three species of gars, Lepisosteus, along the

Mississippi Gulf coast. Transaction of the American Fisheries Society 96: 297-

300.

Hill, L. G., J. L. Renfro, and R. Reynolds. 1972. Effects of dissolved oxygen tensions

upon the rate of aerial respiration of young spotted gar, Lepisosteus oculatus

(Lepisosteidae). Southwestern Naturalist 17:273-278.

Ianni, R. 2011. Monitoring diets and growth rates of native predatory fish stocked to

suppress non-native tilapia. Master’s Thesis. Nicholls State University,

Thibodaux, Louisiana.

Inoue, M., D. Park, D. Justic, and W.J. Wiseman, Jr. 2008. A high-resolution integrated

hydrology-hydrodynamic model of the Barataria Basin system. Environmental

Modeling and Software 23:1122-1132.

Junk, W.J., P.B. Bayley, and R.E. Sparks. 1989. The flood pulse concept in river

floodplain ecosystems. Pages 110-127 in D. P. Dodge, editor. Proceedings of the

International Large River Symposium, Canadian Special Publication of Fisheries

and Aquatic Science 106.

Keevin, T.M., S.G. George, J.J. Hoover, B.R. Kuhajda, and R.L. Mayden. 2007. Food

habits of the endangered Alabama Sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus suttkusi Willams

and Clemmer, 1991 (Acipenseridae). Journal of Applied Ichthyology 23: 500-

505.

58

Kilian, J.V., J. Frentress, R. J. Klauda, A. J. Becker, and S. A. Stranko. 2009. The

invasion of Procambarus clarkii (Decapoda: Cambaridae) into Maryland streams

following its introduction in outdoor aquaculture ponds. Northeastern Naturalist

16: 655-663.

Lindqvist. O.V., and J.V. Huner. 1999. Life history characteristics of crayfish: What

makes them good colonizers? In Crayfish in Europe as Alien Species: How to

Make the Best of a Bad Situation? Edited by F. Gherardi, and D.M.A.A. Holdich.

Balkema, Rotterdam, Netherlands, pages 23-30.

Love, J. W. 2002. Sexual dimorphism in spotted gar Lepisosteus oculatus from

Southeastern Louisiana. American Midland Naturalist 147:393-399.

McCormack, B. 1967. Aerial respiration in the Florida spotted gar. Quarterly Journal of

the Florida Academy of Sciences 30:68-72.

Page, L.M., and B.M. Burr. 2011. Peterson field guide to freshwater fishes of North

American north of Mexico, 2nd edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, New York,

New York.

Payne, J. F. 1978. Aspects of the life histories of selected species of North American

crayfishes. Fisheries 3: 5-7.

Penn, G.H. 1942. Observations on the biology of the dwarf crayfish, Cambarellus

shufeldtii (Faxon). American Middle Nation 28: 644-47.

Pennak, R. W. 1989. Fresh-water invertebrates of the United States: protozoa to

mollusca, 3rd edition. John Wiley and Sons, Incorporated, New York, New York.

Poff, N. L. and J. D. Allan. 1995. Functional organization of stream fish assemblages in

relation to hydrological variability. Ecology 76:606-627.

Poff, N. L., J. D. Allan, M. B. Bain, J. R. Karr, K. L. Prestegaard, B. D. Richter,

R. E. Sparks, and J. C. Stromberg. 1997. The natural flow regime: a paradigm

for river conservation and restoration. BioScience 47: 769-784.

Poff, N. L. 2002. Ecological response to and management of increased flooding caused

by climate change. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society 360: 1497-

1510.

Potter, G. E. 1925. The swim-bladder of a 65 mm gar-pike (Lepidosteus platystomus)

embryo. Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Sciences 32:407-414.

Potter, G. E. 1927. Respiratory function of the swim bladder in Lepidosteus. The Journal

of Experimental Zoology 49:45-67.

59

Raibley, P. T., T. M. O’Hara, K. S. Irons, K. D. Blodgett, and R. E. Sparks. 1997.

Largemouth bass size distributions under varying annual hydrological regimes in

the Illinois River. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 126: 850-856.

Rayner, D.H. 1941. The structure and evolution of the holostean fishes. Biological

Review 16:218-237.

Redmond, L.C. 1964. Ecology of the spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus winchell) in

southeastern Missouri. Master's Thesis. University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.

Renfro, J. L., and L. G. Hill. 1970. Factors influencing the aerial breathing and

metabolism of gars (Lepisosteus). The Southwestern Naturalist 15:45-54.

Ross, S. T. 2001. Inland fishes of Mississippi. University Press of Mississippi, Jackson,

Mississippi.

SAS Institute. 2003. Version 9.3. SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina.

Smith, O. 2008. Reproductive potential and life history of spotted gar Lepisosteus

oculatus in the upper Barataria Estuary, Louisiana. Master's Thesis. Nicholls

State University, Thibodaux, Louisiana.

Snedden, G. A., W. E. Kelso, and D. A. Rutherford. 1999. Diel and seasonal patterns of

spotted gar movement and habitat use in the lower Atchafalaya River Basin,

Louisiana. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 128:144-154.

Snyder, D.E. 1983. Fish eggs and larvae. Pages 165-199 in L.A. Nielsen and D.L.

Johnson, editors. Fisheries Techniques. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda,

Maryland.

Souty-Grosset, C., D.M. Holdich, P.Y. Noel, J.D. Reynolds, and P. Haffner. 2006. Atlas

of crayfish in Europe, Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris. Patrimoines

naturels 64: 187-188.

Suttkus, R. D. 1963. Order Lepisostei. Pages 61-88 in H. B. Bigelow, and W. C.

Schroeder, editors. Fishes of the western North Atlantic: Soft-rayed fishes.

Memoirs of the Sears Foundation for Marine Research I, Part 3, New Haven,

Connecticut.

Taylor, R.G., J.A. Whittington, and H.J. Grier. 2000. Age, growth, maturation, and

protandric sex reversal in common snook, Centropomus undecimalis, from the

east and west coasts of South Florida. Fishery Bulletin 98: 612-624.

Tockner, K., F. Malard, and J. V. Ward. 2000. An extension of the flood pulse concept.

Hydrological Processes 14: 2861-2883.

60

Toole, J. E. 1971. Food study of the bowfin and gars in eastern Texas. Texas Parks and

Wildlife Department, Technical Series No. 6, Marshall, Texas.

USACE (United States Army Corps of Engineers). 2004. Louisiana Coastal Area

(LCA), Louisiana Ecosystem Restoration Study. New Orleans, Louisiana.

Walls, J.G. 2009. Crayfish of Louisiana. Louisiana State University Press, Baton

Rouge, Louisiana.

Wiley, E.O. 1976. The phylogeny and biogeography of fossil and recent gars

(Actinopterygii: Lepisosteidea). Doctoral dissertation. University of Kansas,

Lawrence, Kansas.

Zeug, S. C., and K. O. Winemiller. 2008. Relationships between hydrologic, spatial

heterogeneity, and fish recruitment dynamics in a temperate floodplain river.

River Research and Applications 24:90-102.

Zeug, S. C., D. Peretti, and K. O. Winemiller. 2009. Movement into floodplain habitat

by gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) revealed by dietary and stable isotope

analysis. Environmental Biology of Fish 84: 307-314.

61

APPENDIX I. The identification numbers, collection date, sex (F and M), total

length (TL; mm), standard length (SL; mm), pre-pelvic girth (PPG; mm), and

weight (WT; g) of spotted gar collected form 14 March 2011 to 21 February 2012.

ID # Collection

Date Sex TL SL PPG WT

2997 14 Mar 2011 F 490 421 153 427.5

3062 20 Mar 2011 F 564 488 172 662.0

3063 20 Mar 2011 F 479 416 157 431.0

3064 20 Mar 2011 F 641 560 204 981.0

3065 20 Mar 2011 F 617 535 182 800.5

3066 20 Mar 2011 F 545 484 167 593.5

3068 21 Mar 2011 F 592 510 192 783.5

3071 21 Mar 2011 F 550 469 190 707.5

3074 26 Mar 2011 F 512 442 163 448.0

3668 26 Mar 2011 F 576 495 175 642.5

3671 26 Mar 2011 F 504 438 159 439.0

3673 26 Mar 2011 F 654 567 208 1090

3674 26 Mar 2011 F 576 494 189 753.0

3675 26 Mar 2011 F 537 464 189 654.5

3662 27 Mar 2011 F 530 459 156 502.0

3665 27 Mar 2011 F 520 451 156 477.0

3667 27 Mar 2011 F 576 502 185 741.5

3655 3 Apr 2011 F 674 581 210 998.0

3657 3 Apr 2011 F 604 517 196 850.5

3356 18 Apr 2011 F 466 404 150 379.0

3357 18 Apr 2011 F 655 574 216 1886

3359 18 Apr 2011 F 563 481 192 748.0

3361 18 Apr 2011 F 461 429 159 465.0

3362 18 Apr 2011 F 545 471 177 638.0

3352 19 Apr 2011 F 609 516 195 897.0

3354 19 Apr 2011 F 510 454 170 554.0

3355 19 Apr 2011 F 593 510 188 812.5

3316 8 May 2011 F 574 500 190 761.0

3318 9 May 2011 F 529 450 166 539.0

3319 9 May 2011 F 611 517 209 897.0

3320 9 May 2011 F 601 518 192 823.5

3321 16 May 2011 F 620 533 195 951.0

3479 18 May 2011 F 492 427 168 481.0

3481 18 May 2011 F 548 471 166 580.5

3483 18 May 2011 F 545 471 180 642.0

3487 21 May 2011 F 553 484 175 636.5

3488 22 May 2011 F 552 468 170 589.5

3489 22 May 2011 F 672 590 230 1362

Continued

62

ID # Collection

Date Sex TL SL PPG WT

3492 7 Jun 2011 F 498 430 163 504.0

3495 17 Jun 2011 F 551 473 164 599.0

3496 17 Jun 2011 F 567 490 175 670.5

3497 17 Jun 2011 F 582 508 166 646.5

3423 18 Jun 2011 F 570 489 196 792.5

3424 18 Jun 2011 F 755 659 260 1940

3425 18 Jun 2011 F 560 486 173 614.0

3498 18 Jun 2011 F 600 529 187 821.5

3422 20 Jun 2011 F 611 537 200 939.5

3420 26 Jun 2011 F 592 508 186 792.5

3421 26 Jun 2011 F 570 496 174 653.0

3415 27 Jun 2011 F 562 479 170 630.5

3418 27 Jun 2011 F 566 491 175 665.0

3419 27 Jun 2011 F 637 553 213 1004

3414 28 Jun 2011 F 559 484 162 568.5

3953 23 Jul 2011 F 490 430 155 446.5

3954 23 Jul 2011 F 589 504 175 682.0

3955 23 Jul 2011 F 597 524 176 769.0

3957 23 Jul 2011 F 645 559 199 987.0

3958 23 Jul 2011 F 640 557 214 1118

3959 23 Jul 2011 F 615 533 195 858.0

3960 23 Jul 2011 F 552 478 173 604.0

3973 25 Jul 2011 F 603 529 190 858.5

3974 25 Jul 2011 F 546 475 172 603.5

3975 25 Jul 2011 F 616 537 193 857.5

3971 28 Jul 2011 F 531 457 164 536.0

3473 8 Aug 2011 F 576 499 182 779.5

3468 10 Aug 2011 F 546 477 171 607.0

3470 10 Aug 2011 F 528 471 162 565.0

3471 10 Aug 2011 F 512 441 162 533.0

3851 23 Aug 2011 F 566 495 171 638.0

3854 30 Aug 2011 F 562 490 180 707.5

3855 30 Aug 2011 F 506 435 150 441.0

3856 30 Aug 2011 F 583 493 178 703.5

3858 31 Aug 2011 F 515 450 154 503.5

3859 31 Aug 2011 F 573 494 179 660.5

1784 21 Sep 2011 F 511 440 163 514.5

1787 21 Sep 2011 F 555 479 181 634.5

1797 21 Sep 2011 F 508 435 157 476.5

1661 24 Sep 2011 F 613 526 185 811.5

1796 26 Sep 2011 F 557 481 184 701.0

Continued

63

ID # Collection

Date Sex TL SL PPG WT

3718 27 Sep 2011 F 545 470 168 607.5

3719 27 Sep 2011 F 649 562 203 995.5

3720 27 Sep 2011 F 565 481 170 619.5

3715 28 Sep 2011 F 565 487 179 688.5

1668 19 Oct 2011 F 596 523 193 804.0

1669 19 Oct 2011 F 500 426 150 408.0

1672 22 Oct 2011 F 500 432 158 476.0

1673 22 Oct 2011 F 550 467 175 638.0

3225 22 Oct 2011 F 571 491 168 632.0

3215 24 Oct 2011 F 564 485 177 664.5

3216 24 Oct 2011 F 534 459 166 538.5

3212 25 Oct 2011 F 500 431 157 475.5

3211 30 Oct 2011 F 603 520 205 950.0

3208 5 Nov 2011 F 632 551 209 1030

3209 5 Nov 2011 F 613 524 198 876.0

3738 14 Nov 2011 F 532 465 164 535.0

3739 14 Nov 2011 F 478 413 144 374.0

3732 19 Nov 2011 F 512 445 159 480.0

3733 19 Nov 2011 F 505 435 154 456.0

3734 19 Nov 2011 F 639 554 203 1004

3735 19 Nov 2011 F 558 483 182 674.0

1163 4 Dec 2011 F 636 561 204 1010

1161 12 Dec 2011 F 631 546 197 935.0

1159 13 Dec 2011 F 580 497 185 777.0

1160 13 Dec 2011 F 522 454 172 518.0

1157 14 Dec 2011 F 531 468 165 494.5

1156 7 Jan 2012 F 560 486 180 717.0

1155 8 Jan 2012 F 600 521 187 796.0

3837 10 Jan 2012 F 591 514 216 1050

3838 15 Jan 2012 F 541 464 172 593.0

3841 15 Jan 2012 F 545 465 175 621.0

3848 5 Feb 2012 F 501 436 151 406.0

3850 5 Feb 2012 F 493 429 149 310.0

3842 7 Feb 2012 F 542 469 167 568.0

3927 12 Feb 2012 F 615 535 205 926.0

3929 21 Feb 2012 F 603 526 209 940.0

3930 21 Feb 2012 F 620 534 204 944.0

3933 21 Feb 2012 F 612 530 221 1128

3934 21 Feb 2012 F 538 459 167 540.0

3937 21 Feb 2012 F 501 433 143 399.0

2996 14 Mar 2011 M 477 408 140 379.5

Continued

64

ID # Collection

Date Sex TL SL PPG WT

3067 20 Mar 2011 M 380 323 106 167.0

3069 21 Mar 2011 M 539 467 174 625.5

3072 26 Mar 2011 M 572 491 176 660.0

3073 26 Mar 2011 M 500 435 151 434.5

3075 26 Mar 2011 M 519 439 152 454.0

3669 26 Mar 2011 M 530 457 169 534.5

3670 26 Mar 2011 M 521 449 165 537.5

3672 26 Mar 2011 M 524 449 156 472.0

3661 27 Mar 2011 M 507 439 153 433.0

3663 27 Mar 2011 M 526 452 161 535.0

3666 27 Mar 2011 M 547 471 169 637.0

3659 30 Mar 2011 M 506 430 154 448.5

3660 30 Mar 2011 M 545 476 155 580.0

3654 3 Apr 2011 M 504 434 151 438.0

3656 3 Apr 2011 M 567 493 185 755.0

3658 3 Apr 2011 M 505 435 160 485.5

3358 18 Apr 2011 M 497 430 150 439.5

3360 18 Apr 2011 M 507 443 167 539.5

3351 19 Apr 2011 M 520 442 149 448.0

3353 19 Apr 2011 M 470 398 154 443.5

3376 19 Apr 2011 M 550 473 172 608.0

3377 19 Apr 2011 M 526 447 163 550.0

3378 19 Apr 2011 M 478 409 153 417.0

3379 19 Apr 2011 M 480 411 152 446.5

3315 8 May 2011 M 504 443 158 501.0

3317 9 May 2011 M 495 425 143 406.5

3322 16 May 2011 M 540 456 162 575.5

3323 17 May 2011 M 501 429 165 487.5

3324 17 May 2011 M 546 472 164 556.0

3325 17 May 2011 M 500 420 154 475.0

3476 17 May 2011 M 494 419 150 417.0

3477 17 May 2011 M 523 452 161 507.5

3478 17 May 2011 M 531 462 163 535.0

3500 17 May 2011 M 515 436 154 451.0

3480 18 May 2011 M 535 454 158 574.5

3482 18 May 2011 M 551 462 170 623.5

3484 18 May 2011 M 541 464 163 563.5

3485 21 May 2011 M 504 432 151 448.0

3486 21 May 2011 M 535 453 162 545.5

3490 7 Jun 2011 M 495 427 140 426.0

3491 7 Jun 2011 M 531 463 162 579.0

Continued

65

ID # Collection

Date Sex TL SL PPG WT

3493 7 Jun 2011 M 517 443 165 535.5

3494 17 Jun 2011 M 536 450 163 584.0

3416 27 Jun 2011 M 531 463 165 581.5

3417 27 Jun 2011 M 539 455 160 534.5

3409 28 Jun 2011 M 544 470 169 547.5

3410 28 Jun 2011 M 516 441 164 525.5

3411 28 Jun 2011 M 531 456 162 549.0

3412 28 Jun 2011 M 515 448 159 493.0

3413 28 Jun 2011 M 458 389 145 365.0

3956 23 Jul 2011 M 523 439 164 542.0

3968 28 Jul 2011 M 547 469 165 585.5

3969 28 Jul 2011 M 507 441 155 482.0

3970 28 Jul 2011 M 545 471 154 551.5

3972 28 Jul 2011 M 476 400 153 416.5

3966 29 Jul 2011 M 526 452 152 482.0

3967 29 Jul 2011 M 483 406 148 421.0

3963 30 Jul 2011 M 490 420 149 431.5

3964 30 Jul 2011 M 491 415 151 447.0

3965 30 Jul 2011 M 497 421 142 454.5

3472 8 Aug 2011 M 515 441 155 486.0

3474 8 Aug 2011 M 517 446 159 536.0

3475 8 Aug 2011 M 486 417 150 444.5

3962 8 Aug 2011 M 532 454 157 524.0

3466 10 Aug 2011 M 496 422 156 472.0

3467 10 Aug 2011 M 516 445 155 503.0

3469 10 Aug 2011 M 478 411 150 412.0

3852 23 Aug 2011 M 485 414 145 420.0

3765 27 Aug 2011 M 491 426 144 436.0

3766 28 Aug 2011 M 536 459 118 680.0

3767 28 Aug 2011 M 511 441 159 504.0

3768 30 Aug 2011 M 539 450 159 515.5

3853 30 Aug 2011 M 514 444 168 557.5

1785 21 Sep 2011 M 496 430 153 446.5

1786 21 Sep 2011 M 474 408 148 397.0

1799 21 Sep 2011 M 473 413 141 382.0

1662 24 Sep 2011 M 542 470 173 627.5

1663 24 Sep 2011 M 484 411 155 445.0

1664 24 Sep 2011 M 514 444 150 500.5

1665 24 Sep 2011 M 522 500 168 543.0

1788 25 Sep 2011 M 527 450 168 589.0

1789 25 Sep 2011 M 496 432 160 507.5

Continued

66

ID # Collection

Date Sex TL SL PPG WT

1790 25 Sep 2011 M 501 423 168 555.0

1791 25 Sep 2011 M 496 428 158 502.0

1792 25 Sep 2011 M 552 480 153 535.5

1793 25 Sep 2011 M 512 436 160 485.0

1794 25 Sep 2011 M 539 457 163 543.0

1795 25 Sep 2011 M 571 490 168 654.5

3723 26 Sep 2011 M 503 426 502 438.5

3724 26 Sep 2011 M 511 442 154 491.0

3721 27 Sep 2011 M 516 446 163 561.0

1666 19 Oct 2011 M 493 420 145 384.0

1667 19 Oct 2011 M 483 410 143 380.0

1670 22 Oct 2011 M 494 423 160 500.0

1671 22 Oct 2011 M 506 427 166 528.0

1674 22 Oct 2011 M 474 408 143 380.0

1675 22 Oct 2011 M 509 432 158 484.0

3392 22 Oct 2011 M 488 439 179 676.0

3218 23 Oct 2011 M 526 454 162 528.0

3219 23 Oct 2011 M 544 466 168 572.0

3220 23 Oct 2011 M 554 474 172 638.0

3221 23 Oct 2011 M 492 421 151 442.0

3222 23 Oct 2011 M 516 434 169 522.0

3223 23 Oct 2011 M 516 442 169 594.0

3224 23 Oct 2011 M 510 436 165 534.0

3217 24 Oct 2011 M 568 489 170 619.5

3214 25 Oct 2011 M 469 398 156 417.0

3210 5 Nov 2011 M 506 424 152 454.0

3207 6 Nov 2011 M 525 446 157 484.0

3743 13 Nov 2011 M 528 453 159 532.0

3745 13 Nov 2011 M 468 403 142 361.0

3746 13 Nov 2011 M 524 439 162 504.0

3747 13 Nov 2011 M 531 453 165 538.5

3737 14 Nov 2011 M 545 469 171 630.5

3740 14 Nov 2011 M 492 423 154 475.0

3741 14 Nov 2011 M 534 461 161 529.0

3742 14 Nov 2011 M 521 446 161 505.5

3731 19 Nov 2011 M 557 478 161 570.0

3736 19 Nov 2011 M 559 476 175 648.0

1164 4 Dec 2011 M 521 452 164 536.0

1162 12 Dec 2011 M 516 444 160 508.0

1158 14 Dec 2011 M 492 416 154 452.0

1152 8 Jan 2012 M 560 484 176 658.5

Continued

67

ID # Collection

Date Sex TL SL PPG WT

1153 8 Jan 2012 M 544 461 163 535.5

1154 8 Jan 2012 M 521 442 164 528.5

3782 9 Jan 2012 M 455 385 142 314.0

1151 10 Jan 2012 M 522 449 166 546.0

3836 10 Jan 2012 M 480 423 147 400.0

3839 15 Jan 2012 M 510 431 156 468.5

3840 15 Jan 2012 M 507 438 161 490.5

3843 5 Feb 2012 M 534 460 163 576.0

3844 5 Feb 2012 M 551 483 172 664.0

3845 5 Feb 2012 M 568 485 165 650.0

3846 5 Feb 2012 M 527 545 158 486.0

3847 5 Feb 2012 M 525 436 163 512.0

3849 5 Feb 2012 M 468 393 146 294.0

3926 7 Feb 2012 M 563 482 173 664.0

3928 12 Feb 2012 M 470 405 150 386.0

3931 21 Feb 2012 M 515 442 178 658.0

3932 21 Feb 2012 M 542 451 168 581.5

3935 21 Feb 2012 M 514 440 152 470.5

3936 21 Feb 2012 M 601 524 179 759.5

68

APPENDIX II. Collecting date, ID number, and number of items found in stomachs collected for spotted gar in the upper Barataria

Estuary from 14 March 2011 to 21 February 2012.

Date Number Unidentifiable Fish Shrimp Insect Amphibian Reptile Crayfish Detritus

13 Mar 2011 2996 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0

13 Mar 2011 2997 0 8 0 0 0 0 1 0

20 Mar 2011 3067 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0

20 Mar 2011 3066 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

20 Mar 2011 3065 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

20 Mar 2011 3064 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

20 Mar 2011 3063 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

20 Mar 2011 3062 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

21 Mar 2011 3068 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 1

21 Mar 2011 3069 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

21 Mar 2011 3071 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

26 Mar 2011 3674 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

26 Mar 2011 3072 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

26 Mar 2011 3675 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0

26 Mar 2011 3073 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0

26 Mar 2011 3074 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 1

26 Mar 2011 3075 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 1

26 Mar 2011 3670 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 0

26 Mar 2011 3671 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0

26 Mar 2011 3669 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0

26 Mar 2011 3668 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0

26 Mar 2011 3672 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1

26 Mar 2011 3673 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

27 Mar 2011 3662 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Continued

Continued

69

Date Number Unidentifiable Fish Shrimp Insect Amphibian Reptile Crayfish Detritus

27 Mar 2011 3667 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

27 Mar 2011 3666 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

27 Mar 2011 3665 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0

27 Mar 2011 3661 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

27 Mar 2011 3663 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

30 Mar 2011 3659 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 0

30 Mar 2011 3660 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

3 Apr 2011 3658 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 1

3 Apr 2011 3657 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

3 Apr 2011 3656 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

3 Apr 2011 3655 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0

3 Apr 2011 3654 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0

18 Apr 2011 3362 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

18 Apr 2011 3361 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

18 Apr 2011 3360 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

18 Apr 2011 3359 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

18 Apr 2011 3358 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

18 Apr 2011 3357 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

18 Apr 2011 3356 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

19 Apr 2011 3352 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

19 Apr 2011 3351 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

19 Apr 2011 3355 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

19 Apr 2011 3353 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

19 Apr 2011 3379 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

19 Apr 2011 3354 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

19 Apr 2011 3376 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

19 Apr 2011 3377 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Continued Continued Continued

Continued

70

Date Number Unidentifiable Fish Shrimp Insect Amphibian Reptile Crayfish Detritus

19 Apr 2011 3378 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

8 May 2011 3315 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0

8 May 2011 3316 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

9 May 2011 3317 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

9 May 2011 3318 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

9 May 2011 3319 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

9 May 2011 3320 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

16 May 2011 3322 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

16 May 2011 3321 1 9 0 2 0 0 0 0

17 May 2011 3478 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

17 May 2011 3477 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

17 May 2011 3500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

17 May 2011 3476 0 13 1 0 0 0 0 1

17 May 2011 3323 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

17 May 2011 3324 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0

17 May 2011 3325 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0

18 May 2011 3479 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

18 May 2011 3480 1 8 0 1 0 0 0 1

18 May 2011 3481 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

18 May 2011 3482 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

18 May 2011 3483 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

18 May 2011 3484 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

21 May 2011 3485 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

21 May 2011 3486 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

21 May 2011 3487 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

22 May 2011 3488 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

22 May 2011 3489 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Continued

71

Date Number Unidentifiable Fish Shrimp Insect Amphibian Reptile Crayfish Detritus

7 Jun 2011 3490 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0

7 Jun 2011 3491 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

7 Jun 2011 3492 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

7 Jun 2011 3493 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

17 Jun 2011 3494 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

17 Jun 2011 3495 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

17 Jun 2011 3496 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

17 Jun 2011 3497 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0

17 Jun 2011 3498 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

18 Jun 2011 3423 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

18 Jun 2011 3424 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

18 Jun 2011 3425 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

26 Jun 2011 3421 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

26 Jun 2011 3420 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0

26 Jun 2011 3422 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

27 Jun 2011 3419 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

27 Jun 2011 3417 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

27 Jun 2011 3418 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

27 Jun 2011 3416 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

27 Jun 2011 3415 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

28 Jun 2011 3410 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

28 Jun 2011 3413 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

28 Jun 2011 3409 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

28 Jun 2011 3411 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

28 Jun 2011 3412 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

28 Jun 2011 3414 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

23 Jul 2011 3953 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

Continued

72

Date Number Unidentifiable Fish Shrimp Insect Amphibian Reptile Crayfish Detritus

23 Jul 2011 3954 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

23 Jul 2011 3955 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

23 Jul 2011 3959 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

23 Jul 2011 3960 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

23 Jul 2011 3956 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

23 Jul 2011 3957 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

23 Jul 2011 3958 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

25 Jul 2011 3973 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

25 Jul 2011 3974 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

25 Jul 2011 3975 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

28 Jul 2011 3972 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

28 Jul 2011 3971 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

28 Jul 2011 3970 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

28 Jul 2011 3969 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

29 Jul 2011 3967 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

29 Jul 2011 3968 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

29 Jul 2011 3966 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

30 Jul 2011 3965 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

30 Jul 2011 3963 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1

30 Jul 2011 3964 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

8 Aug 2011 3962 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

8 Aug 2011 3472 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

8 Aug 2011 3473 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0

8 Aug 2011 3474 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

8 Aug 2011 3475 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0

10 Aug 2011 3471 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

10 Aug 2011 3470 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Continued

73

Date Number Unidentifiable Fish Shrimp Insect Amphibian Reptile Crayfish Detritus

10 Aug 2011 3467 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

10 Aug 2011 3466 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

10 Aug 2011 3469 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

10 Aug 2011 3468 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

23 Aug 2011 3851 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

23 Aug 2011 3852 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

23 Aug 2011 3766 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

27 Aug 2011 1765 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

28 Aug 2011 3767 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

30 Aug 2011 3768 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

30 Aug 2011 3855 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

30 Aug 2011 3856 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

30 Aug 2011 3854 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

30 Aug 2011 3853 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0

31 Aug 2011 3858 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

31 Aug 2011 3859 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

21 Sep 2011 1787 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

21 Sep 2011 1784 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

21 Sep 2011 1785 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

21 Sep 2011 1799 0 1 2 3 0 0 0 0

21 Sep 2011 1797 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

21 Sep 2011 1786 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

24 Sep 2011 1661 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

24 Sep 2011 1662 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0

24 Sep 2011 1663 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1

24 Sep 2011 1665 0 0 0 4 0 1 1 1

24 Sep 2011 1664 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0

Continued

74

Date Number Unidentifiable Fish Shrimp Insect Amphibian Reptile Crayfish Detritus

25 Sep 2011 1788 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0

25 Sep 2011 1789 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 1

25 Sep 2011 1790 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0

25 Sep 2011 1793 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0

25 Sep 2011 1792 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

25 Sep 2011 1794 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0

25 Sep 2011 1791 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

25 Sep 2011 1795 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

26 Sep 2011 3724 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

26 Sep 2011 3723 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

27 Sep 2011 1796 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0

27 Sep 2011 3720 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0

27 Sep 2011 3718 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0

27 Sep 2011 3719 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0

27 Sep 2011 3721 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

28 Sep 2011 3715 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 0

19 Oct 2011 1666 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

19 Oct 2011 1667 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

19 Oct 2011 1668 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

19 Oct 2011 1669 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

22 Oct 2011 1670 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

22 Oct 2011 1672 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

22 Oct 2011 1673 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

22 Oct 2011 1674 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

22 Oct 2011 1671 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

22 Oct 2011 1675 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

22 Oct 2011 3392 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Continued

75

Date Number Unidentifiable Fish Shrimp Insect Amphibian Reptile Crayfish Detritus

22 Oct 2011 3225 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

23 Oct 2011 3220 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

23 Oct 2011 3221 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

23 Oct 2011 3222 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

23 Oct 2011 3223 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

23 Oct 2011 3224 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

23 Oct 2011 3218 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

23 Oct 2011 3219 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

24 Oct 2011 3215 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

24 Oct 2011 3216 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

24 Oct 2011 3217 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

25 Oct 2011 3212 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

25 Oct 2011 3214 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

30 Oct 2011 3211 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

5 Nov 2011 3210 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

5 Nov 2011 3209 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

5 Nov 2011 3208 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

6 Nov 2011 3207 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

13 Nov 2011 3743 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

13 Nov 2011 3745 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

13 Nov 2011 3746 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

13 Nov 2011 3747 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

14 Nov 2011 3737 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

14 Nov 2011 3738 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

14 Nov 2011 3739 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

14 Nov 2011 3740 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

14 Nov 2011 3741 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Continued

76

Date Number Unidentifiable Fish Shrimp Insect Amphibian Reptile Crayfish Detritus

14 Nov 2011 3742 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

19 Nov 2011 3736 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

19 Nov 2011 3735 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

19 Nov 2011 3734 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

19 Nov 2011 3733 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

19 Nov 2011 3732 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

19 Nov 2011 3731 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

4 Dec 2011 1164 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

4 Dec 2011 1163 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

12 Dec 2011 1162 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

12 Dec 2011 1161 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

13 Dec 2011 1159 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

13 Dec 2011 1160 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

14 Dec 2011 1157 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

14 Dec 2011 1158 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

7 Jan 2012 1156 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

8 Jan 2012 1155 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

8 Jan 2012 1154 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

8 Jan 2012 1153 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

8 Jan 2012 1152 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

9 Jan 2012 3782 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

10 Jan 2012 1151 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

11 Jan 2012 3836 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

11 Jan 2012 3837 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

15 Jan 2012 3838 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

15 Jan 2012 3839 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

15 Jan 2012 3840 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Continued

77

Date Number Unidentifiable Fish Shrimp Insect Amphibian Reptile Crayfish Detritus

15 Jan 2012 3841 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

5 Feb 2012 3843 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

5 Feb 2012 3845 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

5 Feb 2012 3844 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

5 Feb 2012 3846 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

5 Feb 2012 3848 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

5 Feb 2012 3847 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

5 Feb 2012 3849 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

5 Feb 2012 3850 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

7 Feb 2012 3926 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

7 Feb 2012 3842 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

12 Feb 2012 3927 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

12 Feb 2012 3928 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

21 Feb 2012 3930 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

21 Feb 2012 3929 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0

21 Feb 2012 3931 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

21 Feb 2012 3932 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

21 Feb 2012 3934 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

21 Feb 2012 3933 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0

21 Feb 2012 3935 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0

21 Feb 2012 3937 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

21 Feb 2012 3936 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

78

APPENDIX III. Date of collection, species, sex (F and M), total

length (TL; cm), carapace length (CL; cm), and weight (WT; g) for

crayfish collected using minnow traps from 14 March 2011 to 21

February 2012. Periods indicate no data.

Date Species Sex TL CL WT

13 Mar 2011 Red Swamp F . . .

27 Mar 2011 Red Swamp F 5.30 2.70 3.50

27 Mar 2011 Red Swamp F 8.40 . 14.5

30 Mar 2011 Red Swamp F 9.20 4.50 13.5

4 Apr 2011 Red Swamp F 10.5 4.90 16.5

7 May 2011 Red Swamp F 7.10 . 8.50

8 May 2011 Red Swamp F 8.60 4.30 10.0

8 May 2011 Red Swamp F 7.90 3.00 9.00

8 May 2011 Red Swamp F 4.20 1.60 1.50

8 May 2011 Red Swamp F 9.60 4.10 19.5

9 May 2011 Red Swamp F 8.60 4.00 10.0

9 May 2011 Red Swamp F 9.00 3.90 10.0

9 May 2011 Red Swamp F 9.20 3.90 12.0

9 May 2011 Red Swamp F 5.60 2.10 4.00

17 May 2011 Red Swamp F 8.50 3.80 10.5

17 May 2011 Red Swamp F 9.60 4.80 19.0

7 Jun 2011 Red Swamp F 10.2 4.50 18.0

7 Jun 2011 Red Swamp F 8.30 4.20 12.0

16 Jun 2011 Red Swamp F 8.10 4.10 12.5

17 Jun 2011 Red Swamp F 4.50 1.20 2.00

26 Sep 2011 Red Swamp F 9.10 4.30 15.0

30 Oct 2011 Red Swamp F 2.50 1.40 2.00

13 Feb 2012 Red Swamp F 5.90 3.00 5.00

13 Feb 2012 Red Swamp F 9.20 5.10 17.0

13 Feb 2012 Red Swamp F 6.10 3.00 4.50

13 Feb 2012 Red Swamp F 5.20 2.70 3.00

14 Feb 2012 Red Swamp F 9.70 4.20 16.0

13 Mar 2011 Shrimp F 4.00 . 1.00

4 Apr 2011 Shrimp F 11.1 4.90 10.5

7 May 2011 Shrimp F 8.20 . 11.0

8 May 2011 Shrimp F 7.40 . 5.00

17 May 2011 Shrimp F 4.40 . 1.50

17 May 2011 Shrimp F 8.30 . 9.50

17 May 2011 Shrimp F 6.40 . 5.50

17 May 2011 Shrimp F 4.50 . 2.00

7 Jun 2011 Shrimp F 10.9 4.50 17.0

7 Jun 2011 Shrimp F 6.20 2.10 4.50

7 Jun 2011 Shrimp F 5.70 2.00 4.00

Continued

79

Date Species Sex TL CL WT

8 Jun 2011 Shrimp F 8.60 4.90 10.5

8 Jun 2011 Shrimp F 7.00 2.40 6.00

8 Jun 2011 Shrimp F 9.00 4.30 12.5

25 Jul 2011 Shrimp F 5.90 2.70 3.00

27 Jul 2011 Shrimp F 8.60 3.90 13.0

2 Aug 2011 Shrimp F 6.30 3.20 4.50

28 Aug 2011 Shrimp F 6.10 3.10 4.00

25 Sep 2011 Shrimp F 6.40 3.40 4.50

13 Feb 2012 Shrimp F 4.10 2.00 1.50

8 May 2011 Cajun Dwarf F 1.50 . 0.11

25 Sep 2011 Cajun Dwarf F 1.90 0.90 0.15

25 Sep 2011 Cajun Dwarf F 2.00 0.80 0.30

26 Sep 2011 Cajun Dwarf F 2.10 0.90 0.18

23 Oct 2011 Cajun Dwarf F 2.80 1.30 0.50

23 Oct 2011 Cajun Dwarf F 2.50 1.20 0.50

30 Oct 2011 Cajun Dwarf F 3.00 1.50 0.50

30 Mar 2011 Red Swamp M 7.50 . 8.00

30 Mar 2011 Red Swamp M 5.90 . 3.50

7 May 2011 Red Swamp M 5.10 2.70 3.00

7 May 2011 Red Swamp M 6.00 . 3.00

8 May 2011 Red Swamp M 8.10 4.30 8.00

8 May 2011 Red Swamp M 5.50 2.30 3.50

8 May 2011 Red Swamp M 7.80 4.00 11.0

8 May 2011 Red Swamp M 8.40 4.30 19.0

9 May 2011 Red Swamp M 8.90 4.30 12.0

9 May 2011 Red Swamp M 4.30 2.00 2.00

9 May 2011 Red Swamp M 6.10 3.10 6.00

17 May 2011 Red Swamp M 8.50 . 15.5

17 May 2011 Red Swamp M 8.20 . 14.5

17 May 2011 Red Swamp M 8.70 4.30 13.5

17 May 2011 Red Swamp M 8.10 . 14.0

17 May 2011 Red Swamp M 7.50 . 12.0

17 May 2011 Red Swamp M 8.10 . 15.0

7 Jun 2011 Red Swamp M 9.00 3.30 13.5

8 Jun 2011 Red Swamp M 8.10 4.00 12.0

27 Jul 2011 Red Swamp M 8.10 4.00 16.5

28 Jul 2011 Red Swamp M 8.60 3.80 9.00

2 Aug 2011 Red Swamp M 7.30 3.40 8.50

26 Sep 2011 Red Swamp M 4.50 2.10 1.00

26 Sep 2011 Red Swamp M 4.30 2.00 1.50

28 Sep 2011 Red Swamp M 8.40 4.20 9.50

24 Oct 2011 Red Swamp M 6.00 2.90 4.50

Continued

80

Date Species Sex TL CL WT

24 Oct 2011 Red Swamp M 7.90 3.90 10.0

13 Nov 2011 Red Swamp M 4.00 2.00 1.50

4 Dec 2011 Red Swamp M 6.70 3.50 5.50

15 Dec 2011 Red Swamp M 5.10 2.50 2.50

10 Jan 2012 Red Swamp M 5.30 2.30 2.00

13 Feb 2012 Red Swamp M 6.00 3.00 6.00

13 Feb 2012 Red Swamp M 7.50 3.40 7.50

17 May 2011 Shrimp M 5.00 . 2.00

17 May 2011 Shrimp M 4.00 . 1.00

17 May 2011 Shrimp M 5.40 . 3.00

17 May 2011 Shrimp M 6.00 . 4.00

16 Jun 2011 Shrimp M 5.90 2.80 3.00

17 Jun 2011 Shrimp M 6.00 3.00 3.00

25 Jul 2011 Shrimp M 5.10 2.70 3.00

27 Jul 2011 Shrimp M 6.50 3.20 5.00

26 Sep 2011 Shrimp M 6.60 3.00 3.50

28 Sep 2011 Shrimp M 7.00 3.40 6.00

24 Oct 2011 Shrimp M 6.60 3.00 7.50

25 Oct 2011 Shrimp M 6.50 2.90 5.00

30 Oct 2011 Shrimp M 6.90 3.10 6.50

13 Nov 2011 Shrimp M 6.40 3.00 4.00

14 Nov 2011 Shrimp M 6.80 3.20 6.50

15 Dec 2011 Shrimp M 7.10 3.80 6.00

4 Apr 2011 Cajun Dwarf M 2.00 . 0.24

7 May 2011 Cajun Dwarf M 2.00 . 0.13

7 May 2011 Cajun Dwarf M 1.90 . 0.24

25 Sep 2011 Cajun Dwarf M 1.50 0.70 0.08

8 Jan 2012 Cajun Dwarf M 2.00 1.00 0.15

81

APPENDIX IV. Date, dissolved oxygen (DO; mg/L), specific conductance (Sp. Cond.; uS), salinity (ppt), water level (m), temperature

(˚C), and secchi depth (cm) readings for gill net sampling and minnow trap sampling in the upper Barataria Estuary from 14 March 2011

to 21 February 2012. Periods indicate no data.

Date DO Sp. Cond. Salinity Gauge Staff Temp Secchi

13 Mar 2011 . 139.3 0.1 0.82 20.3 .

20 Mar 2011 . 180.6 0.1 0.69 23.1 .

21 Mar 2011 0.03 180.1 0.1 0.67 22.4 .

26 Mar 2011 0.54 191.8 0.1 0.60 22.5 .

27 Mar 2011 0.47 199.6 0.1 0.60 24.2 .

30 Mar 2011 1.08 182.4 0.1 0.73 23.3 .

3 Apr 2011 0.83 158.2 0.1 0.63 22.8 .

4 Apr 2011 0.67 165.9 0.1 0.66 23.6 .

18 Apr 2011 1.37 196.0 0.1 0.55 23.2 .

19 Apr 2011 2.28 198.1 0.1 0.60 24.4 .

23 Apr 2011 2.33 221.5 0.1 0.67 26.4 .

24 Apr 2011 1.86 231.2 0.1 0.68 26.6 .

6 May 2011 2.82 252.2 0.1 0.50 22.9 .

7 May 2011 2.53 263.0 0.1 0.46 24.2 .

8 May 2011 2.51 271.0 0.1 0.51 24.5 .

9 May 2011 2.25 278.1 0.1 0.55 25.1 .

16 May 2011 4.79 256.5 0.1 0.42 25.6 .

17 May 2011 4.27 229.7 0.1 0.33 24.8 .

18 May 2011 3.01 219.7 0.1 0.35 22.7 .

21 May 2011 4.26 308.3 0.1 0.64 27.5 .

22 May 2011 3.78 352.4 0.2 0.67 27.7 .

6 Jun 2011 3.50 418.6 0.2 0.52 29.9 .

7 Jun 2011 1.60 437.6 0.2 0.54 28.0 .

Continued

82

Date DO Sp. Cond. Salinity Gauge Staff Temp Secchi

8 Jun 2011 4.33 442.8 0.2 0.52 28.9 .

15 Jun 2011 4.23 447.5 0.2 0.49 30.0 .

16 Jun 2011 2.50 463.0 0.2 0.49 29.9 .

17 Jun 2011 1.86 419.4 0.2 0.49 30.3 .

18 Jun 2011 2.49 464.9 0.2 0.49 30.8 .

21 Jun 2011 4.50 537.0 0.1 0.65 31.3 .

26 Jun 2011 2.21 586.0 0.3 0.64 29.6 .

27 Jun 2011 2.87 550.0 0.3 0.63 29.6 .

28 Jun 2011 1.71 530.0 0.2 0.63 29.7 .

23 Jul 2011 3.04 144.0 0.1 0.63 26.0 .

24 Jul 2011 1.27 138.8 0.1 0.65 26.0 21.5

25 Jul 2011 2.37 . 3.9 0.69 10.1 26.7

27 Jul 2011 0.76 121.8 0.1 0.68 27.0 13.0

28 Jul 2011 0.96 123.3 0.1 0.69 26.8 15.0

29 Jul 2011 0.51 131.1 0.1 0.70 27.1 20.5

30 Jul 2011 0.54 133.6 0.1 0.72 27.4 26.5

1 Aug 2011 0.48 168.8 0.1 0.70 28.7 29.5

2 Aug 2011 0.42 164.5 0.1 0.71 27.8 30.5

23 Aug 2011 0.24 310.3 0.1 0.52 30.0 39.0

24 Aug 2011 0.50 219.0 0.1 0.51 30.5 43.8

27 Aug 2011 1.17 229.1 0.1 0.48 31.3 46.0

28 Aug 2011 1.61 232.9 0.1 0.41 31.3 56.0

29 Aug 2011 0.70 228.0 0.1 0.46 29.9 74.0

30 Aug 2011 0.67 225.2 0.1 0.49 29.4 75.6

31 Aug 2011 0.58 226.0 0.1 0.52 29.4 71.7

21 Sep 2011 0.29 136.7 0.1 0.82 24.3 37.5

Continued

83

Date DO Sp. Cond. Salinity Gauge Staff Temp Secchi

24 Sep 2011 0.27 131.4 0.1 0.80 24.5 34.1

25 Sep 2011 0.70 118.4 0.1 0.79 24.3 29.0

26 Sep 2011 0.39 125.7 0.1 0.79 24.6 33.5

27 Sep 2011 0.36 127.0 0.1 0.77 25.0 45.2

28 Sep 2011 0.16 135.2 0.1 0.75 25.8 46.7

19 Oct 2011 1.55 180.0 0.1 0.51 20.2 70.8

22 Oct 2011 1.89 183.3 0.1 0.37 19.6 52.7

23 Oct 2011 1.61 186.3 0.1 0.37 16.8 58.6

24 Oct 2011 1.20 198.4 0.1 0.45 19.3 49.0

25 Oct 2011 1.37 199.4 0.1 0.43 18.8 42.0

29 Oct 2011 2.90 208.7 0.1 0.43 18.8 51.5

30 Oct 2011 . . . 0.34 . 40.4

5 Nov 2011 3.56 220.8 0.1 0.37 17.1 43.0

6 Nov 2011 2.50 223.2 0.1 0.46 17.8 41.7

12 Nov 2011 2.07 217.7 0.1 0.45 14.9 44.6

13 Nov 2011 1.95 213.5 0.1 0.50 15.9 42.3

14 Nov 2011 1.53 223.1 0.1 0.53 16.8 47.0

15 Nov 2011 1.28 219.9 0.1 0.57 18.0 46.4

19 Nov 2011 1.38 223.0 0.1 0.52 16.3 60.5

20 Nov 2011 1.05 210.0 0.1 0.57 17.4 51.1

29 Nov 2011 1.29 199.8 0.1 0.45 13.1 74.6

3 Dec 2011 1.90 187.4 0.1 0.46 12.5 69.6

4 Dec 2011 1.76 196.9 0.1 0.57 13.6 50.6

12 Dec 2011 2.87 196.7 0.1 0.34 9.20 52.0

13 Dec 2011 3.00 198.8 0.1 0.37 10.8 78.2

14 Dec 2011 3.10 215.6 0.1 0.45 12.8 51.8

Continued

84

Date DO Sp. Cond. Salinity Gauge Staff Temp Secchi

15 Dec 2011 2.59 222.6 0.1 0.51 13.6 38.6

7 Jan 2012 2.95 215.9 0.1 0.42 13.8 42.0

8 Jan 2012 2.50 224.1 0.1 0.46 15.1 42.1

9 Jan 2012 . 227.3 0.1 0.52 15.3 .

10 Jan 2012 5.23 280.0 0.1 0.57 15.4 .

11 Jan 2012 5.44 275.0 0.1 0.52 15.0 .

14 Jan 2012 3.36 221.3 0.1 0.26 11.9 54.5

15 Jan 2012 4.27 212.9 0.1 0.26 11.6 55.8

5 Feb 2012 1.10 233.9 0.1 0.64 19.0 56.0

6 Feb 2012 1.59 234.4 0.1 0.54 18.4 44.8

7 Feb 2012 1.77 217.1 0.1 0.48 17.4 57.9

12 Feb 2012 3.72 200.9 0.1 0.34 12.5 42.9

13 Feb 2012 4.08 186.0 0.1 0.27 10.7 38.5

14 Feb 2012 4.04 197.8 0.1 0.41 12.9 56.4

21 Feb 2012 2.17 102.1 0.1 0.73 11.2 11.2

85

APPENDIX V. Date, total number of crayfish caught in 24

hours, CPUE, water level (m) on sample date, and level of water

needed to inundate the floodplain from 8 March 2011 to 14

February 2012. Periods indicate no data.

Date N CPUE Staff Gage Inundation

8 Mar 2011 0 0.000 . 0.793

13 Mar 2011 1 0.067 0.823 0.793

27 Mar 2011 2 0.133 0.604 0.793

30 Mar 2011 3 0.200 0.732 0.793

4 Apr 2011 3 0.133 0.658 0.793

19 Apr 2011 0 0.000 0.604 0.793

24 Apr 2011 0 0.000 0.677 0.793

7 May 2011 6 0.400 0.457 0.793

8 May 2011 10 0.667 0.512 0.793

9 May 2011 7 0.467 0.546 0.793

17 May 2011 16 1.067 0.329 0.793

7 Jun 2011 6 0.400 0.539 0.793

8 Jun 2011 4 0.267 0.521 0.793

16 Jun 2011 3 0.200 0.494 0.793

17 Jun 2011 2 0.133 0.494 0.793

25 Jul 2011 2 0.133 0.695 0.793

27 Jul 2011 3 0.200 0.677 0.793

28 Jul 2011 1 0.067 0.689 0.793

29 Jul 2011 0 0.000 0.701 0.793

2 Aug 2011 2 0.133 0.713 0.793

24 Aug 2011 0 0.000 0.506 0.793

28 Aug 2011 1 0.067 0.415 0.793

29 Aug 2011 0 0.000 0.457 0.793

25 Sep 2011 4 0.267 0.792 0.793

26 Sep 2011 3 0.200 0.792 0.793

27 Sep 2011 2 0.133 0.768 0.793

28 Sep 2011 2 0.133 0.750 0.793

23 Oct 2011 2 0.133 0.366 0.793

24 Oct 2011 2 0.200 0.451 0.793

25 Oct 2011 1 0.067 0.430 0.793

30 Oct 2011 3 0.200 0.335 0.793

6 Nov 2011 0 0.000 0.457 0.793

13 Nov 2011 2 0.133 0.500 0.793

14 Nov 2011 1 0.067 0.533 0.793

15 Nov 2011 0 0.000 0.573 0.793

4 Dec 2011 1 0.067 0.570 0.793

Continued

86

Date N CPUE Staff Gage Inundation

13 Dec 2011 0 0.000 0.372 0.793

14 Dec 2011 0 0.000 0.451 0.793

15 Dec 2011 2 0.133 0.509 0.793

8 Jan 2012 1 0.067 0.463 0.793

9 Jan 2012 0 0.000 0.518 0.793

10 Jan 2012 1 0.067 0.567 0.793

11 Jan 2012 0 0.000 0.524 0.793

6 Feb 2012 0 0.000 0.536 0.793

7 Feb 2012 0 0.000 0.475 0.793

13 Feb 2012 7 0.467 0.274 0.793

14 Feb 2012 1 0.067 0.408 0.793

87

APPENDIX VI. Collecting date and number of items found in Gee minnow traps collected form the upper

Barataria Estuary from 8 March 2011 to 14 February 2012.

Date Fish Insect Shrimp Crawfish Reptile Amphibian Leeches Spider

8 Mar 2011 8 2 15 0 1 0 0 0

13 Mar 2011 11 6 32 1 1 6 2 0

27 Mar 2011 25 13 15 2 1 5 14 0

30 Mar 2011 8 0 37 3 1 1 1 0

4 Apr 2011 36 0 16 2 1 1 0 0

19 Apr 2011 63 2 9 0 0 0 0 0

24 Apr 2011 12 0 14 0 0 0 0 0

7 May 2011 114 5 16 6 0 0 0 0

8 May 2011 37 1 14 10 2 0 0 0

9 May 2011 26 0 2 7 1 0 0 0

17 May 2011 137 6 18 16 1 4 2 0

7 Jun 2011 45 3 5 6 0 0 0 0

8 Jun 2011 60 5 7 4 0 1 0 0

16 Jun 2011 56 7 14 3 0 0 0 0

17 Jun 2011 53 17 23 2 1 0 0 0

25 Jul 2011 4 1 4 2 0 0 0 0

27 Jul 2011 7 2 2 3 0 0 0 0

28 Jul 2011 0 1 4 1 0 0 0 0

29 Jul 2011 6 6 2 0 0 0 0 0

2 Aug 2011 22 9 1 2 0 1 2 0

24 Aug 2011 30 12 1 0 0 1 0 0

28 Aug 2011 22 12 0 1 1 0 0 0

29 Aug 2011 26 10 4 0 1 1 0 1

25 Sep 2011 1 4 0 4 0 2 1 0

26 Sep 2011 2 8 5 3 0 1 1 0

Continued

88

Date Fish Insect Shrimp Crawfish Reptile Amphibian Leeches Spider

27 Sep 2011 1 6 1 2 0 1 0 0

28 Sep 2011 2 7 0 2 4 0 0 0

23 Oct 2011 16 4 26 2 0 0 0 0

24 Oct 2011 8 3 5 3 0 0 0 0

25 Oct 2011 7 0 1 1 0 1 0 0

30 Oct 2011 6 2 7 3 0 0 0 0

6 Nov 2011 3 4 8 0 0 0 0 0

13 Nov 2011 4 2 12 2 0 0 0 0

14 Nov 2011 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0

15 Nov 2011 3 0 4 0 1 0 0 0

4 Dec 2011 1 1 8 1 0 0 0 0

13 Dec 2011 6 10 10 0 0 0 0 0

14 Dec 2011 2 4 6 0 1 0 0 0

15 Dec 2011 1 1 8 2 0 0 0 0

8 Jan 2012 3 4 12 1 1 0 0 0

9 Jan 2012 1 1 8 0 2 0 0 0

10 Jan 2012 2 0 3 1 1 1 0 0

11 Jan 2012 2 0 15 0 1 0 0 0

6 Feb 2012 5 0 35 0 0 0 0 0

7 Feb 2012 5 1 38 0 2 0 0 0

13 Feb 2012 6 0 13 7 0 2 0 0

14 Feb 2012 3 5 25 1 1 1 1 0

89

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Taren Manley was born on 17 October 1985 in Cleveland, Ohio. Taren graduated

from Kenston High School in June of 2004. She graduated from Hiram College 2008,

receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Biology and a minor in History.

Throughout her undergraduate education she traveled overseas in two travel-abroad

programs through Hiram College and one her own. After graduation she continued her

education for a year at Cleveland State University and worked part time in the greater

Cleveland area. In the fall of 2010 Taren enrolled at Nicholls State University in the

Marine and Environmental Biology Masters in Science program. In the future, Taren

plans to apply to a doctoral program in Marine Science sometime after graduation in

December 2012.

90

CURRICULUM VITAE

Taren Manley

18850 Quinn Road Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44023 · (440) 543-4134 · (440) 227-1127 ·

manleyta@alumni.hiram.edu

Current Address:

508 Harding Drive

Houma, LA 70364

EDUCATION

Nicholls State University M.S. Marine and Environmental Biology- 12/2012

Thibodaux, Louisiana 70310 Thesis Title: Spotted Gar Lepisosteus

oculatus diets in the upper Barataria Estuary

Hours earned: 39 GPA: 3.57

Cleveland State University College Coursework Completed - 5/2009

Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Hours earned: 19 GPA: 3.77

Hiram College B.A. Biology- 5/2008 Minor: History

Hiram, Ohio 44234 Hours earned: 154 GPA: 3.37

SELECTED COURSEWORK

Marine and Environmental Biology

Marine and Environmental Regulation Law & Policy Workshop

Ecological Restoration

Applied Ecology

Advanced Oceanography

Aquatic Toxicology

Population Dynamics

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

August 2011 – May 2012: Teaching Assistant, Nicholls State University,

Department of Biological Sciences. Duties included teaching one lab per week,

preparing for labs, preparing and grading quizzes and assignments. Topics

included: scientific method, diffusion and osmosis, enzyme activity, localization

of respiration and glycolysis, photosynthesis, genetic transformation, Mendelian

genetics, animal development, population genetics, evolution and systematics.

91

Supervisor: Allyse Ferrara, Ph.D.; Associate Professor; (phone) 985/448-4736

August 2010 – May 2011: Teaching Assistant, Nicholls State University,

Department of Biological Sciences. Duties included assisting in three labs per

week, preparing for labs, and proctoring and grading exams.

Supervisor: Allyse Ferrara, Ph.D.; Associate Professor; (phone) 985/448-4736

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

August 2010 – May 2012: Assessed seasonal diets of spotted gar Lepisosteus

oculatus in the upper Barataria Estuary by sampling with gill nets, processing

collected fish, and quantifying stomach contents. Quantified crayfish abundance

in the upper Barataria Estuary using Gee minnow traps.

Supervisor: Allyse Ferrara, Ph.D.; Associate Professor; (phone) 985/448-4736

WORK EXPERIENCE

August 2010 – May 2012: Teaching Assistant, Nicholls State University,

Department of Biological Sciences. Duties included teaching introductory

biology, assisting in teaching introductory biology, preparing for labs, preparing

and grading quizzes and assignments.

Supervisor: Allyse Ferrara, Ph.D.; Associate Professor; phone 985/448-4736

May 2008 - July 2010: Laborer, Cleveland Ohio, General maintenance and

construction of low income housing in the greater Cleveland area, which includes:

rudimentary plumbing, painting, masonry, and landscaping. Basic knowledge of

the interview process of new tenants, and rent collection. This job has taught me

to work independently and has sharpened my problem solving skills.

Supervisor: Dawn Clemens; Business Owner; phone 216/214-3301

June 2005 - September 2005: Landscaper, Hiram Ohio The restoration of

historical landmark gardens including the removal of invasive plant species and

built historically accurate planting beds. Other responsibilities included general

care and maintenance of the historical garden and several additional campus

gardens.

Supervisor: Denny Taylor, Ph. D.; Professor of Biology; phone 330/569-5267

May 2004 – October 2004: Medical filing of all pertinent patient information,

duplicated patient files for legal use, and communicated with patient's legal team.

92

Supervisor: Timothy Nice, M.D.; Doctor of Orthopedics; phone 440/585-5258

INTERNSHIPS

February 2012 – April 2012: Barataria – Terrebonne National Estuary Program:

Clean Up Bayou Lafourche, Thibodaux, Louisiana. Assisting in the planning,

distribution, and set up of Clean Up Bayou Lafourche. Duties: creating and

distributing fliers, helping coordinate site captain meetings, creating Clean Up

data cards, organization and distribution of items used during event, collecting

volunteers, volunteer sign-in, and supervising volunteers during event.

Supervisor: Alma Robichaux; Education Coordinator; phone 985/447-0868

February 2007 – October 2007: American Polo Society, Cleveland, OH and

Southern Impact Research Center, Rockford, TN. Assessing the effects of high

velocity polo balls on equine metacarpus and the effectiveness of protective wraps

and boots for polo horses used during polo matches. Duties: Literature research

on equine tarsal injuries and product efficiency, assisting in testing products

during impact testing, and impact calculations.

Supervisor: Dr. Timothy Nice; Chair Member; phone 440/585-5258.

FIELD EXPERIENCE

Boat and trailer operation, gill net sampling, minnow trap sampling, seine

sampling, water quality monitoring (dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature,

specific conductance, Secchi disk depth), fish identification, some experience in

freshwater invertebrate identification, fish otolith removal, external fish tagging,

GPS (handheld).

Shoals Marine Laboratory - Collected, catalogued, and released limpets

Shoals Marine Laboratory- Participated in an ecological survey of tern habitats

Akumal Turtle Sanctuary- Akumal, Mexico. Observed nesting of green sea

turtles

Hoibox Island- Attended lecture on the preservation and protection of whale

sharks, snorkeled to observe feeding, and help monitor tagged and untagged

adolescents

LABORATORY EXPERIENCE

Fish otolith aging, some experience in freshwater invertebrate identification, some

experience in ELISA assay, and stomach content identification. Software skills:

93

Data management, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint,

some experience with SAS and Fish Analyses and Simulation Tools 2.0 (FAST).

CERTIFICATION

LA Defensive Driver

LA Boating Educating/Boating Safety

LA Ethics Training for Public Servants

PADI Certified Open Water Diver

SCIENTIFIC PRESENTATION

2012 Manley, T., A.M. Ferrara, and Q. Fontenot. Seasonal Diets of Spotted Gar

in the Upper Barataria Estuary. Nicholls State University, Research Week

Competition, Thibodaux, Louisiana (poster presentation).

2012 Manley, T., A.M. Ferrara, and Q. Fontenot. Seasonal Diets of Spotted Gar

in the Upper Barataria Estuary. Southern Division of the American Fisheries

Society, Biloxi, MS.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

International Study: United Kingdom (England and Wales) - 1 semester study: Early American

Revolution 1750-1800, Creeps & Castles: Gothic Fiction, Murder & Mourning

Biomes of the World-1 semester study: Biomes of the World, Science &

Literature, Travel Writing- Traveled: Alaska, Hawaii, Thailand, India, Maldives,

U.A.E., Egypt, Turkey, Germany - Observed water and the effects of global

climate change in each of the world's biomes

Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt